Our quick and easy Balsamic Pasta Salad is full of flavor and fresh ingredients that come together for a delicious summer side dish! Every backyard cookout or 4th of July celebration needs a delicious pasta salad to serve as a great side dish and we know everyone is going to love this one!
The Best Balsamic Pasta Salad Recipe
Our whole family loves sharing a big bowl of pasta salad at so many summer meals! This summer balsamic pasta salad is the perfect combination of fresh vegetables for a nice crunch, blue cheese crumbles, sun-dried tomatoes, and a light balsamic pasta sauce. Feel free to make adjustments to these salad ingredients based on your personal preferences, just don’t forget a healthy drizzle of that balsamic glaze on top!
Looking for more summer pasta salads? You have to try our Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad!
What You Will Need
- olive oil – the best base for any homemade salad dressing.
- white balsamic vinegar – a mild vinegar that adds a light and refreshing flavor to the balsamic vinaigrette recipe.
- fresh garlic – everything is always better with a little bit of garlic in the mix.
- salt and pepper – simple seasonings that are a must for adding flavor!
- bow tie pasta – we love this pasta type but feel free to use any shape (like rotini pasta) or sub with your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- sun-dried tomatoes & pine nuts – classic salad ingredients that go well with those balsamic flavors.
- fresh arugula leaves & red onion – fresh ingredients that add color and crunch to this easy balsamic pasta salad.
- gorgonzola cheese – we absolutely love adding this salty cheese to just about anything!
- balsamic glaze – a great addition on top of this pasta salad recipe and you can add more as you enjoy it.
How To Make Balsamic Pasta Salad
The first steps to make this great recipe are to gather all of the real, simple ingredients.
Now bring a large pot of water to a boil, boil pasta to al dente, drain, and rinse with cold water. While the pasta cooks, put the homemade balsamic vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Then it is time to assemble, put all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl and give it all a toss.
Pour the homemade dressing over the top and toss again.
Serve with a generous drizzle of balsamic glaze and enjoy with your light meal!
Recipe FAQ
Absolutely! You can definitely mix this pasta salad the night before, but there are a few things to keep in mind. The pasta will absorb quite a bit of the dressing so you may want to make extra and store separately to pour over the salad before serving the next day. Wait on the balsamic glaze until serving too! Also, note that the arugula will be a bit wilted after storing but will still taste amazing!
We love it as it is written in the recipe card but feel free to make any adjustments. It would also be great with some grilled chicken, diced bell peppers, fresh basil, artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, green onion, english cucumber, or even some sliced black olives! Or switch the gorgonzola out with feta cheese, parmesan cheese, or fresh mozzarella!
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Balsamic Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
A delicious Balsamic Pasta Salad recipe that is packed with flavor with a homemade dressing, arugula, gorgonzola cheese, and pine nuts!
Ingredients
White Balsamic Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper
Balsamic Pasta Salad
- 16oz bow tie pasta, cooked al dente (reg. or gluten-free)
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 3–4 handfuls fresh arugula, more if desired
- 5–8oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
- 4oz pine nuts
- 1/4 – 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced OR diced
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup balsamic glaze, more if desired
Instructions
- Dressing: Combine Dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Cook Pasta: Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Combine + Toss: In a large bowl combine cooked pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, gorgonzola cheese, pine nuts, and red onion. Pour the dressing over top and toss (the pasta will continue to soak up the dressing). Taste and add any salt and pepper, as desired.
- Balsamic Glaze: Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.
Notes
- Pasta Shape: you can mix up what pasta shape you use here!
- Storage: pasta salad leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 458
- Sugar: 6.8 g
- Sodium: 238.9 mg
- Fat: 21.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 52.8 g
- Protein: 13.5 g
- Cholesterol: 15.8 mg
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