Easy 6 Ingredient Italian Pasta Salad

ByLeah Keller

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steak, potato, pasta on a black plate

If you need an easy and delicious Summertime salad, this is it. This recipe is so easy to make and it is the perfect salad for any Summer BBQ.

This easy recipe has only 6 simple ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store. Plus, you can change any of the veggies for your favorite veggies.

Can I add protein to my Italian pasta salad and what kind?

Adding protein to this Italian pasta salad is a great idea and would be so delicious. There are so many different types of meats that you can add and I’ve gathered a few of them for you:

  • chicken breasts
  • turkey breasts
  • ham
  • bacon or bacon bits
  • pepperoni or salami
  • tuna
  • beans – any type of canned beans (drained) would be delicious in this pasta salad, plus it would add plenty of grams of protein.

What is in an Italian pasta salad? (Scroll down for printable recipe card)

  • pasta noodles – any type of pasta noodles will work
  • cucumber – another option besides cucumber is you can add yellow squash or zucchini squash
  • cherry tomatoes – you can also purchase larger tomatoes and just chop them up to the size that you want.
  • purple onion – any type of onion will work, for example you can add a yellow or white onion instead of a red onion
  • black olives
  • Italian dressing
  • salt and black pepper
  • bell peppers (optional) would be a great addition
  • jalapeno peppers or banana peppers (optional) would also be a great addition to this pasta salad
bowl of pasta

What kind of pasta can I use in my salads?

  • rotini
  • spaghetti
  • elbow
  • fettuccine
  • Angel hair pasta
  • macaroni
  • fusilli
  • bow ties
  • penne
  • ziti

How to make Italian pasta salad? (Scroll down for printable recipe card)

  • Cook your pasta noodles per package instructions
  • Rinse the pasta with cold water and drain off excess water
  • Pour cooked pasta into a large bowl
  • Chop up the cucumber and onion
  • Cut up the cherry tomatoes by cutting them in halves
  • Add the chopped cucumber, onion and tomatoes to the bowl of pasta
  • Drain a can of sliced black olives and add those the the bowl of pasta
  • Add Italian dressing to the salad
  • Add salt and black pepper
  • Take a wooden spoon and mix up the ingredients
  • Chill and serve cold
Yield: 8-10 servings

Easy Italian Pasta Salad

pasta in a black bowl
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Here's is an easy and delicious salad that is perfect for Summertime!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 box (16 oz) tri-colored pasta
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives
  • 1 1/2 cups Italian dressing
  • Salt & black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook your pasta noodles per package instructions
  2. Rinse the pasta with cold water and drain off excess water
  3. Pour cooked pasta into a large bowl
  4. Chop up the cucumber and onion
  5. Cut up the cherry tomatoes by cutting them in halves
  6. Add the chopped cucumber, onion and tomatoes to the bowl of pasta
  7. Drain a can of sliced black olives and add those the the bowl of pasta
  8. Add Italian dressing to the salad
  9. Add salt and black pepper
  10. Take a wooden spoon and mix up the ingredients
  11. Chill and serve cold
© Leah Keller

Tips!

  • This salad is best served chilled, so make it ahead of time and place into the refrigerator
  • Add some protein to the salad, like chicken, ham, turkey, sausage or pepperoni
  • Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
  • A great idea would be to add nuts to this salad, like sunflowers seeds, pecans, peanuts or almonds

Try some of our other recipes!

Plus, dessert recipes!!

Pinterest pic Easy Italian Pasta Salad

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