Tasty Summer Pasta Salad

Here is my favorite summer pasta salad recipe, loaded with colorful bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese, all tossed in a tangy Italian vinaigrette.

This pasta salad is perfect for potlucks, barbecues, or just keeping in the fridge for easy lunches throughout the week. I love that it actually tastes better the next day once all the flavors have had time to soak in.

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What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?

For pasta salad, you’ll want to stick with short pasta shapes that can hold onto the dressing and mix well with all those veggies. Farfalle (bow ties) works great like we used here, but penne, rotini, or fusilli are all solid choices too. The key is picking a shape with nooks and crannies where the balsamic vinaigrette can hang out. Whatever you do, avoid long noodles like spaghetti or fettuccine – they just don’t work well in a cold salad and make it hard to get a good mix of ingredients in each bite. And don’t worry too much about whether to use regular or whole wheat pasta, both will taste great in this recipe.

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Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is super forgiving and works well with whatever you have in your fridge:

• Farfalle pasta: Any short pasta shape works great here – try rotini, penne, or bowtie. They all hold the dressing well and are easy to eat.
• Bell peppers: Don’t worry about having all three colors. Use whatever bell peppers you have on hand, or even swap one out for some diced red onion for extra bite.
• Artichoke hearts: If you’re not a fan of artichokes, try using marinated mushrooms, roasted red peppers, or even some sliced olives instead.
• Feta cheese: Not into feta? Crumbled goat cheese, diced mozzarella, or shaved parmesan all work nicely. You could also skip the cheese entirely for a dairy-free version.
• Balsamic vinaigrette: Italian dressing or a simple lemon vinaigrette make good alternatives. Just taste and adjust the amount based on how tangy your dressing is.
• Fresh basil: Fresh parsley or a mix of Italian herbs can step in if basil isn’t available. Dried basil works too – just use about 1 tablespoon instead.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with pasta salad is overcooking the pasta, which turns mushy when mixed with dressing – cook it just until al dente (firm to the bite) since it will continue to soften as it sits in the fridge. Rinsing your pasta with cold water after draining is essential here because it stops the cooking process and removes excess starch that can make your salad gummy. Don’t add all the dressing at once; start with about three-quarters of it and save the rest to refresh the salad before serving, since pasta absorbs liquid as it chills. For the best flavor, wait to add the feta and basil until just before serving rather than letting them sit in the fridge for hours, as the cheese can get too soft and the basil can turn dark and lose its fresh taste.

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What to Serve With Summer Pasta Salad?

Summer pasta salad is perfect for cookouts and picnics, so I love serving it alongside grilled chicken, burgers, or hot dogs. It also pairs really well with grilled shrimp skewers or BBQ ribs if you’re looking to make it a full meal. Since the salad is already packed with veggies, you can keep sides simple – maybe some garlic bread or dinner rolls for soaking up that balsamic dressing. This pasta salad also works great as a main dish on its own for lunch, especially on hot days when you don’t want to turn on the stove.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad actually gets better as it sits! Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors really meld together nicely overnight, making it perfect for potlucks or meal prep. You might need to give it a good stir and add a splash more dressing before serving since the pasta absorbs some of it.

Make Ahead: I love making this a day in advance for parties or barbecues. Just hold off on adding the feta and basil until right before serving to keep them fresh. The rest of the salad can hang out in the fridge, getting more flavorful by the hour.

Serve: This salad is meant to be enjoyed cold, straight from the fridge. If it seems a bit dry after storing, just toss in a couple tablespoons of extra balsamic vinaigrette to freshen it up. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving if you want to take the chill off.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2100-2400
• Protein: 50-60 g
• Fat: 65-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 340-370 g

Ingredients

For the pasta and vegetables:

• 0.75 lb rotini pasta (Barilla preferred for ridges)
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 large English cucumber (peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 12 oz artichoke hearts (quartered)
• 18 oz cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives (pitted and sliced)

For the dressing and mix-ins:

• 1 1/4 cups Italian vinaigrette (Newman’s Own preferred)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh basil (thinly sliced into ribbons)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Step 1: Prepare the Pasta Base

• 0.75 lb rotini pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then add the rotini pasta and cook until al dente (firm with a slight bite), usually 1-2 minutes less than the package directions.

I prefer Barilla for their ridged texture that holds onto the vinaigrette beautifully.

Drain the pasta in a colander, then rinse thoroughly with cold water until completely cool—this stops the cooking and prevents the pasta from becoming mushy when mixed with the dressing.

Step 2: Prepare All Vegetables and Aromatics

• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 large English cucumber
• 12 oz artichoke hearts
• 18 oz cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives

While the pasta cools, prepare all vegetables: dice the yellow, red, and orange bell peppers into bite-sized pieces, peel and cut the English cucumber into 1/2-inch cubes, quarter the artichoke hearts, halve the cherry tomatoes, and slice the Kalamata olives.

I like to keep the cucumber separate from the other vegetables until the last moment—it releases water over time and can make the salad watery, so I add it just before serving if you’re prepping ahead.

Step 3: Combine and Dress the Salad

• cooled pasta from Step 1
• prepared vegetables from Step 2
• 1 1/4 cups Italian vinaigrette
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 1 with all prepared vegetables (peppers, artichokes, tomatoes, olives, and cucumber if using fresh).

Pour the Italian vinaigrette and fresh lemon juice over the mixture and toss thoroughly to coat everything evenly.

The acid from the lemon juice brightens the dressing and helps the pasta absorb the flavors as it sits.

Step 4: Finish with Cheese, Herbs, and Seasoning

• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese and fresh basil ribbons, being careful not to break up the feta too much.

Taste the salad and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to your preference.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld and develop.

Tasty Summer Pasta Salad

Delicious Tasty Summer Pasta Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 2250 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the pasta and vegetables

• 0.75 lb rotini pasta (Barilla preferred for ridges)
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 large English cucumber (peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 12 oz artichoke hearts (quartered)
• 18 oz cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives (pitted and sliced)

For the dressing and mix-ins

• 1 1/4 cups Italian vinaigrette (Newman's Own preferred)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh basil (thinly sliced into ribbons)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, then add the rotini pasta and cook until al dente (firm with a slight bite), usually 1-2 minutes less than the package directions. I prefer Barilla for their ridged texture that holds onto the vinaigrette beautifully. Drain the pasta in a colander, then rinse thoroughly with cold water until completely cool—this stops the cooking and prevents the pasta from becoming mushy when mixed with the dressing.
• While the pasta cools, prepare all vegetables: dice the yellow, red, and orange bell peppers into bite-sized pieces, peel and cut the English cucumber into 1/2-inch cubes, quarter the artichoke hearts, halve the cherry tomatoes, and slice the Kalamata olives. I like to keep the cucumber separate from the other vegetables until the last moment—it releases water over time and can make the salad watery, so I add it just before serving if you're prepping ahead.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 1 with all prepared vegetables (peppers, artichokes, tomatoes, olives, and cucumber if using fresh). Pour the Italian vinaigrette and fresh lemon juice over the mixture and toss thoroughly to coat everything evenly. The acid from the lemon juice brightens the dressing and helps the pasta absorb the flavors as it sits.
• Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese and fresh basil ribbons, being careful not to break up the feta too much. Taste the salad and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to your preference. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld and develop.