How long do you think it took this carbivore and her equally carb-loving family to devour this 8-person salad? Let’s just say it didn’t last the day. One lovely meal, then constant trips back to the fridge until there was one solitary slice of red onion left. It’s my summer go-to meal - great to eat in its own right, or as a side dish as part of some meal-prep lunches. The easy Italian dressing adds that lovely touch of zesty, salty, garlicky flavour to lift every single bite. I make up a big batch of the dressing and store it in a jam-jar in the fridge so I can use it throughout the week.
What do we need?
Pasta - Use large-ish pasta shapes. I like to use fusilli as the salad dressing clings to those little spirals beautifullyVeggies - We’ve got crunch with the cucumber and red onion, juicy tang with the tomatoes (plus pretty colours) and freshness with the pea shoots and parsley. You can swap out the pea shoots with spinach, lambs lettuce, watercress or rocket if you like.Cheese - I’ve added some mini mozzarella balls to give a creamy bite that compliments the crunchy veggies. You can leave out if you want it dairy-free, or you could replace with feta, goats cheese or even cubes of cheddar.
How to make this pasta salad
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post. Make the Italian style salad dressing by mixing together all of the dressing ingredients in a jug or jar until combined. Drizzle over half of the dressing and toss everything together, then serve the pasta salad with the remaining dressing.
Ingredient swaps
This pasta salad is super versatile - you can make lots of swaps, depending on what you have in.
Creamy Potato Salad Tear-and-Share Sausage Rolls (or my vegetarian sausage rolls) Cheese and Tomato Tarts French-Pressed Sandwich Bites Cornish Pasties
Swap out pea shoots for spinach, lambs lettuce, watercress or rocket if you like. Swap out the mozzarella with feta, goats cheese or cheddar. Add in sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, olives, and anchovies for a Mediterranean-style salad. Add cooked shredded chicken, crumbled crispy bacon, or little slices of salami/chorizo/coppa/prosciutto for a meaty addition.
I love hearing about other peoples food choices! What would be your perfect picnic to go with this pasta salad? Are you a one-course picnic person? or has it got to be like a giant buffet on a blanket? (yes to the giant buffet from me).
Watch how to make it
Stay updated with new recipes!Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos). Some of the links in this post are affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
