If you're in need of a new go-to summer pasta salad, this Italian Bow Tie Pasta Salad is the one! It's loaded with veggies, salami and creamy mozzarella cheese, and topped with an easy homemade Italian vinaigrette. It's the ultimate side salad but also works as a main meal and it's perfect to bring along to picnics, BBQs and pot lucks!
During grilling season, we usually serve this salad with these jalapeno turkey burgers, but it also works with these air fryer boneless chicken wings or air fryer breaded chicken burgers.
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Quick Look: Italian Bow Tie Pasta Salad
- ⏱ Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 👩🏻🍳 Cook Time: 10 minutes
- 🆒 Chill Time: 2 hours
- ⏳ Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- 🍽 Servings: 8
- ⚡ Calories: 277 per serving
- 🔥 Flavor/texture: tender pasta and crunchy veggies coated in a briny and tangy Italian vinaigrette.
- 👌 Difficulty: quick and easy side dish.
- ❤️ Why you'll love: loaded with veggies and packed with flavor; easy to make ahead.
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A loaded veggie pasta salad with briny, tangy flavors
When I say this salad is loaded with veggies, I'm not kidding! You've got crunchy bell pepper, cucumber and red onion, juicy cherry tomatoes, briny and tangy peperoncini peppers and olives, and fresh basil and arugula.
This salad is crisp, vibrant and flavorful. I love the flavors so much, it inspired this Italian orzo pasta salad, which we also make quite a bit during the summer!
What brings it all together into a flavor packed pasta salad is salty slices of salami, homemade marinated mozzarella balls and a simple, tangy homemade Italian dressing.
Table of Contents
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Pasta - This is a bow tie (also called farfalle) pasta salad but you can make it with different types of pasta such as fusilli, rotini or penne.
- Fresh mozzarella - We're using mini bocconcini (or mini mozzarella balls) for this recipe for their size and creamy texture. As they tend to taste a little plain (in my opinion), I like to marinate them first for this salad. (I've included the recipe in the recipe card notes below). You can definitely use them without marinating or buy them already marinated.
- Veggies - Feel free to change it up with your favorite veggies. For instance, you can substitute baby spinach for the arugula and fresh parsley for the basil.
- Peperoncini - These are pickled peppers that are tangy with a little heat. Use more or less in this salad to suit your taste.
- Olives - We're using black olives but you can substitute with kalamata or green olives. Just make sure they're pitted.
- Vinaigrette - While you can use bottled Italian salad dressing, I highly recommend making this simple homemade version. You just need extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
How to make this Italian bow tie pasta salad
Step 1: Add the vinaigrette ingredients to a jar, seal and shake until combined.
Step 2: Cook the pasta al dente and drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again.
Step 3: Add the chopped veggies, pasta and other ingredients to a large bowl and pour the vinaigrette over top.
Step 4: Toss everything together until well coated with the vinaigrette.
Expert tips
- Cook the pasta al dente to ensure it doesn't get mushy in the salad.
- Make sure the pasta is cooled down before combining it with the other ingredients.
- Chill the salad for a few hours before serving. This gives the ingredients a chance to marinate in the vinaigrette.
Italian Bow Tie Pasta Salad FAQs
Absolutely! This salad is best made at least a few hours in advance so the pasta and other ingredients have a chance to absorb some of the flavors of the vinaigrette. If you're making it more than a few hours in advance (like a day in advance), wait to add the basil and arugula as they will wilt in the salad. You may also want to make a little extra vinaigrette to stir into the salad before serving. (The longer the salad sits in the fridge, the more the pasta will absorb the vinaigrette).
This salad is perfect to serve with burgers, like these air fryer turkey burgers. It also works with chicken, like these air fryer chicken cutlets or cornflake chicken strips.
More pasta salad recipes
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📖 Recipe
Italian Bow Tie Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the salad:
- ½ pound (227 g) dry bow tie pasta, about 3 cups
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup pitted black olives, halved
- 1 cup chopped or sliced cucumber
- 1 cup mini mozzarella balls/bocconcini, see notes
- 1 medium sized yellow bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup chopped genoa salami
- ½ cup chopped peperoncini peppers
- ½ medium sized red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups arugula, packed
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
For the Italian vinaigrette:
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, about ½ large lemon
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, see notes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. (It's best to cook it al dente to prevent the pasta from getting mushy in the salad). Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside to fully cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients or add to a small jar and shake until combined.
- In a large bowl, add the pasta and remaining salad ingredients. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss everything together until well coated.
- Cover and chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Notes
- While you can keep them plain, I like to use marinated mozzarella balls for this recipe. You can buy them or make them yourself. To make, whisk together ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Add 1 cup of mozzarella balls to the mixture and toss to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 1-2 hours before using.
- This salad is best made at least a few hours in advance so the pasta and other ingredients have a chance to absorb the vinaigrette. If you're making it more than a few hours in advance, wait to add the basil and arugula as they will wilt. You may also want to reserve some vinaigrette or make a little extra to stir into the salad before serving. (The longer the salad sits in the fridge, the more the pasta will absorb the vinaigrette).
- The Italian seasoning I use in this recipe is a mix of herbs only including marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano and basil. It does not include additional salt, sugar, garlic powder or other spices.
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Nutrition Facts per Serving
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.
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