Italian Bow Tie Pasta Salad (Printable)

Vibrant bow tie pasta with crisp vegetables, mozzarella, and zesty Italian dressing. Ideal for gatherings and warm weather meals.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz bow tie (farfalle) pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup black olives, sliced

→ Cheese

07 - 1 cup mozzarella pearls or diced mozzarella
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Dressing

09 - 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Garnish

16 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook bow tie pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and cool the pasta.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, chopped red onion, sliced black olives, mozzarella pearls, and grated Parmesan cheese.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and black pepper until emulsified and well blended.
04 - Add cooled pasta to the vegetable and cheese mixture. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently until evenly coated.
05 - Scatter torn fresh basil leaves over the top. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dressing soaks into the pasta overnight, making leftovers even more flavorful than freshly made salad
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, so you're not scrambling when guests arrive
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta with cold water stops the cooking process and washes away excess starch so it doesn't turn into a gummy mess
  • The salad needs at least 30 minutes in the fridge for the flavors to really develop and the pasta to absorb some of that dressing
03 -
  • Cut your vegetables slightly larger than you think you should, since they'll shrink in the fridge and maintain better texture
  • Make double the dressing and keep it separate to refresh leftover salad the next day

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