Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad
This refreshing pasta salad is loaded with tender pasta, colorful crunchy vegetables, and a tangy homemade dressing. Bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavors, it's an easy, crowd-pleasing side dish for BBQs, picnics, and family gatherings!
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Boil the rotini in the well salted water for 1 minute past the package time for al dente, about 10 to 11 minutes. The pasta should feel tender with a slight bite, since cold pasta firms up.
- Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold running water for 1 minute, until it no longer feels warm or slippery. Shake the colander well and let it drain for 2 minutes.
- Add the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes to the jar, seal it, and shake hard for 30 seconds. The dressing should look pale and creamy, not separated.
- Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, mozzarella, and pepperoni in a large bowl. Add the herbs and stir gently.
- Add the cooled pasta to the bowl and pour over two thirds of the dressing, then toss for 1 minute, until every strand looks glossy.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until cold. Just before serving, stir in the remaining dressing and garnish with basil and flaky salt.
Cook the pasta 1 minute past al dente, rinse it cold, and save a third of the dressing; undercooked pasta turns hard in the fridge, and all the dressing at once leaves the bowl dry.
Notes
- Use ridged pasta so the dressing clings.
- Add the tomatoes and cucumber within 24 hours of serving for the crispest bite.
- Taste again before serving and add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon.