Simple Cold Pasta Salad

This simple cold pasta salad comes together in less than 20 minutes for a fresh, delicious, and easy meal! Topped with spinach, tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, olives, and a tangy lemon vinaigrette, it's perfect for meal prep or a side dish for your summer barbecue!

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American, Italian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 18

Servings

Calories 472kcal

Author Kyleigh Sage

Ingredients

Dressing

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar substitute lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Pasta Salad

16 ounces short pasta
1 ½ cups fresh spinach thinly sliced
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 cup cucumber diced
1 cup red bell pepper diced
¾ cup black olives sliced
4 green onions thinly sliced
1 cup fresh mozzarella balls sliced in half

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Dressing

Add all of the dressing ingredients to a mason jar and seal tightly. Shake vigorously to combine. Taste and add more salt as needed. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together.

Pasta Salad

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reduce the cooking time by 1-2 minutes for perfect al dente pasta. Drain and then rinse for 1 minute with cold water (this helps the pasta not stick together). Set aside to cool slightly.
Cut up all the veggies into bite-sized pieces and thinly slice the spinach and green onions.
Add the cooled pasta, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, green onions, spinach, mozzarella balls, and black olives to a large bowl.
Then drizzle on your desired amount of dressing and toss gently until combined.
Serve cold and enjoy!

Notes

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days! The pasta salad might get dried out after a few days so you can rehydrate it with a little olive oil or extra dressing.

Nutrition