Our easy and Zesty Italian Pasta Salad is going to be your go-to summer pasta salad for all your cookouts and get-togethers!
Best Ever Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
We are all about a great cook out around here (you have to check out our grilled recipes and smoked recipes – so many to choose from) and that includes the perfect side pasta salad to share. This is a recipe I grew up making and it just always hits the spot! Serve with Smoked Beer Can Chicken, some Grilled Sweet Corn and Smoked Baked Beans!
Looking for More Pasta Salads?
If you love them as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad or Dill Pickle Pasta Salad!
What You Will Need
- pasta: I have always used multi-colored pasta for this, but feel free to use gluten-free noodles.
- zesty Italian salad dressing: I tend to buy store-bought for this to keep things simple.
- McCormick Perfect Pinch – Salad Supreme seasoning: super easy!
- black olives + green olives: I love olives so the more the merrier!
- cucumber: I actually really like using English cucumbers for this too!
- tomatoes: feel free to really use any kind – cherry tomatoes, roma, beefsteak, etc.
How to Make Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
Cook your pasta al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Add ingredients to a medium bowl.
Stir to combine and then taste – add additional dressing or seasoning, as-desired.
Enjoy!
Variations
Feel free to make this your own by adding in pepperoni, salami, etc.
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Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Description
A classic Italian Pasta Salad recipe that is the perfect side dish to make for cookouts and summer get-togethers!
Ingredients
- 12oz multi-colored fusilli pasta
- 1/2 can large black olives, pitted (approx. 20 olives, sliced into 2–3 slices each)
- 1/2 small jar green olives (approx. 20 olives, sliced into 2–3 slices each)
- 1/2 medium cucumber, diced
- 1 large beefsteak tomato or 3 Roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes)
- 1 cup zesty Italian salad dressing (more as-needed)
- 2–4 tablespoons McCormick Perfect Pinch – Salad Supreme seasoning (more as-needed)
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Combine: Place drained pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add black olives, green olives, cucumber and tomatoes. Pour in dressing and 2 tablespoons of the seasoning. Mix thoroughly.
- Taste + Adjust: Taste and add additional 1-2 tablespoons of Salad Supreme and Italian dressing until desired taste and consistency is reached. Feel free to add additional olives (black or green), tomatoes or cucumber, as desired.
- Serve: Can be served immediately, but does taste better after sitting a day in the fridge. If served the next day, take remaining Italian dressing and pour enough over salad to reach desired consistency as the pasta will continually soak up the dressing as it sits.
Notes
- Gluten-Free: feel free to use gluten-free noodles
- Storage: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Other add-ins: feel free to add in some pepperoni, if you want.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 164
- Sugar: 3.7 g
- Sodium: 498.7 mg
- Fat: 2.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.3 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 5.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0.5 mg
Originally published July 10, 2016. Update photos and retested recipe.
Sandra says
Simply the best.
Been making this every summer since 2016
Erin says
Heck yes!!! A recipe from my childhood I will never stop making 🙂
Janice says
I made this for a ladies luncheon and it was a hit! I omitted the McCormick Perfect pinch because I didn’t have it, and added some mozzarella pieces. It’s. Now a favorite go-to! Quick and easy too!
Erin says
Yay! So happy to hear that, Janice!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
love a good pasta salad! they are always so perfect for summer. thanks for the inspiration – this looks wonderful!
Erin says
Thanks, Thalia!