Marie Saba

From My Kitchen To Yours

Easy Pasta Salad

When you need to feed a crowd, reach for this easy pasta salad! It’s filled with colorful veggies and fresh herbs, making it an excellent side dish for simple main courses like burgers, steaks, grilled chicken, or fish.

The only cooking required is for the pasta, and you can do that up to 24 hours in advance. I prefer a small pasta like orecchiette, shells, or spirals for easy-to-eat bites. Be sure to wash the pasta (and then cool completely) so it doesn’t stick together before tossing with the other ingredients.

Although the slices of zucchini and yellow squash don’t require cooking, they do marinate in the Italian dressing, which softens the texture and adds wonderful flavor. If you have another favorite veggie or two, feel free to add those. Bell pepper, red onion, artichoke hearts, or little florets of steamed broccoli would all pair well with the cherry tomatoes and Greek olives.

This pasta salad keeps well in the fridge for up to three days, so it’s a good one to have on hand when you want something easy to reach for during the week. Both my kids love it (although one avoids the tomatoes) and even request it for their school lunches!

Looking for some other favorite salads? Try our marinated broccoli salad, caesar salad, roasted beet salad, or kale salad.

Easy Pasta Salad

Ingredients

½ lb. (227 g) dry orecchiette pasta
3 Tablespoons (45 g) red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 medium yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin half moons
1 medium zucchini squash, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin half moons
Freshly ground pepper
1 ½ cup (280 g) halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup (130 g) halved pitted Greek olives
8 oz. (226 g) mozzarella pearls
½ cup (45 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup (74 g) extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped basil leaves (10-12 leaves)

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water to remove excess starch, and refrigerate to cool completely. (This can be done in advance.)
In a small bowl, mix together red wine vinegar, garlic and salt. Set aside for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss yellow squash and zucchini squash with vinegar mixture. Add some pepper. Let marinate for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. (This will soften the squash. Don’t worry if liquid accumulates; it will become part of the marinade.)
After marinating the squash, add tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, Parmesan, olive oil and herbs to the bowl. Toss to combine. Add cooked and cooled pasta and toss again. Let marinate 30 minutes or up to an hour at room temperature, tossing every 10 minutes or so to distribute flavors. Garnish with basil and serve.

Notes:

Make-Ahead Tip: Pasta salad can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Cover with plastic and refrigerate. If possible, set out at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
Variations: Add diced salami or pepperoni for a heartier version.

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