Easy Italian Pasta Salad recipe – seriously THE BEST! I could make a meal out of this pasta salad! Penne pasta, olive oil, lemon juice, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, grape tomatoes, parmesan, and basil. Makes a ton. Great for a potluck. Can easily half the recipe. We LOVE this easy and delicious side dish recipe!
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This Italian Pasta Salad should come with a warning label. It is to-die-for delicious!! Tender pasta tossed in a quick homemade Italian dressing, parmesan cheese, and basil. Seriously delicious. I love to make a batch on Sunday night to eat during the week with lunch and dinner. I could honestly make a meal out of just this yummy pasta. It is that good! This makes a lot of food. It is a great recipe to make for your next potluck! This easy recipe has quickly become a family favorite. One bite and it is sure to become one of your favorite pasta salad recipes too!
How to Make Italian Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is super easy to make with only a few ingredients. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, and fresh lemon juice. Add cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. Stir the pasta into the dressing to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl and give it a good stir before serving.
- You can use any short pasta that you prefer. Penne, rotini pasta, bow tie, or elbow.
- I used a container of freshly shaved parmesan in this recipe. Feel free to add some fresh mozzarella balls. YUM!
- This is a great base recipe. Feel free to add some fresh vegetables to the pasta mixture. Red onion, bell peppers, green onions, artichoke hearts, green olives, and black olives are all great.
- Can Italian Pasta Salad be made in advance? Yes! I think this pasta salad tastes better the next day. Refrigerating the pasta overnight gives the flavors time to develop. The pasta salad will keep about 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Add rotisserie chicken to the pasta salad to turn this into a main dish.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
What to Serve with Cold Pasta Salad Recipe
This pasta goes with everything! Sandwiches, burgers, grilled chicken, steaks – anything! This is a great side dish for parties, cookouts, and potlucks. You can easily divide the recipe in half if you don’t need to feed a crowd. Whip up a big batch ASAP! You won’t be disappointed!
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Italian Pasta Salad
Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 1 (16-oz) box penne pasta
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup grape tomatoes, cut into halves
- 1½ cups shaved parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool.
- Whisk together oil, juice, mayonnaise, and Italian seasoning in a large bowl. Add cooked pasta, tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and basil. Toss to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate 8 hours before serving.
Notes:
- You can use any shape of pasta that you prefer.
- I used a container of freshly shaved parmesan in this recipe.
- Can Italian Pasta Salad be made in advance? Yes! I prefer to make this the day before serving to give the flavors time to develop. The pasta salad will keep about 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Add cooked chicken to the pasta salad to turn this into a main dish.
Steph
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This is now my go to pasta salad dressing mixture. It’s so easy, so good and super flexible. It also doesn’t dry out like so many other pasta salads. Love!!!
Would it taste much different using salad dressing instead of mayonnaise? 🙂
I’ve been craving a good pasta salad, and this recipe sounds perfect. Like someone suggested some crunchy celery and some cucumber would add a little crunch.
I grow fresh basil in my kitchen and I usually have all of the ingredients in the house.
Add diced cucumbers, diced celery and/or other crunchy veggie to give it more texture. Have made this basic recipe many times in the past. Yum, yum, yum.
Hello! Love all your recipes! Did you use the Italian seasoning spice or the Italian dressing seasoning?
Italian seasoning NOT dressing mix
Loved it!! Easy and delicious! Thank you