Easy Veggie Pasta Salad (with Easy Homemade Italian Dressing)

You can’t have a good barbecue without a good old pasta salad. This Easy Veggie Pasta Salad will be your go-to side dish this whole summer. Made with gluten-free pasta, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy carrots and bell peppers, broccoli and black olives. Drizzled and tossed with a delicious Homemade Italian Dressing.

Easy Veggie Pasta Salad (with Easy Homemade Italian Dressing)

Nothing says summer quite like cookouts and grilled food. However, You can’t have a good cookout without some delicious sides. What pairs better with some grilled food than a nice pasta salad? You really can’t have a barbecue without a good old pasta salad.

This Easy Veggie Pasta Salad will be your go-to barbecue dish this summer. You really won’t be able to get enough. It’s super easy to make and all the ingredients are so fresh. This recipe comes with a really easy homemade Italian dressing as well. Wish adds to the freshness and compliments all the flavors perfectly.

This is the perfect salad to make for a summer cookout as it is a crowd pleaser. It makes a large bowl which should be enough to serve for a small gathering. If you’re having a larger party then I would recommend doubling the recipe.

I highly recommend making it for this Fourth of July if you’re having a barbecue or backyard party. This Easy Veggie Pasta Salad is also my go-to salad to make for our beach trips. I make it quickly and place it in our cooler. I pack the dressing in a mason jar and then toss it and serve it once we get to the beach. So great for a beach or park picnic.

Ingredients needed to make Easy Veggie Pasta Salad:

• Gluten-Free Pasta– I like using Fusilli but you can use any pasta you prefer.
• Vegetables– Cherry tomatoes, black olives, carrot, broccoli, and red pepper.
• Italian Parsley– For garnish.
• For Homemade Italian Dressing– Red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Italian seasoning, pink sea salt, black pepper, and garlic.

Equipment needed to make Easy Veggie Pasta Salad:

• Large Mixing Bowls– For prepping broccoli and mixing easy veggie pasta salad.
• Small Mixing Bowl– For mixing salad dressing.
• Whisk– To whisk salad dressing.
• Small Pot– To parboil broccoli in.
• Skimmer Spoon– To remove broccoli from boiling water.
• Strainer– To drain broccoli.

How to make Easy Veggie Pasta Salad:

• Step 1– Start by prepping all your veggies; slice cherry tomatoes in half, slice black olives in half, peel and thinly julienne carrots, thinly dice bell pepper, remove broccoli florets from stem and measure out 1.5 cups, and mince garlic for salad dressing. 
• Step 2– Place a medium saucepan on stovetop and fill up with water about half way. Bring water to a boil on high heat. Once water starts boiling drop broccoli florets in and boil for 2-3 minutes. While broccoli is boiling fill a large mixing bowl with ice and water. Use a skimmer spoon to remove broccoli from boiling water and imminently drop into iced water. Leave broccoli in iced water for a couple of minutes then strain. 

• Step 3– In a large mixing bowl layer all prepped ingredients; cooked pasta, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, black olives, carrots, and red bell pepper. Place salad in fridge for a few minutes and allow to chill. 

• Step 4– In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the salad dressing; red wine vinegar, olive oil, Italian seasoning, pink salt, black pepper, and minced garlic. Remove salad from fridge and drizzle with salad dressing. Give salad a good toss making sure it’s well coated with dressing. 
• Step 5– Garnish with fresh Italian parsley and serve. Enjoy!

Tips and Substitutions:

1. Use any kind of preferred pasta- My go-to pasta for this recipe is GF Fusilli pasta. You can use any other preferred pasta and it doesn’t have to be gluten-free if you’re not GF. Other kinds of pastas you can use for this salad are elbow, penne or bow tie.
2. Follow package instructions to cook pasta- Cook pasta according to package instructions and measure out 3 cups of cooked pasta for this salad.
3. Use parboil method if you don’t want to microwave broccoli- If you don’t want to cook broccoli in microwave, use parboil method. Boil some water in a saucepan and throw broccoli in. Parboil for about 2 minutes then drain broccoli. Add olive oil, salt and pepper after parboiling.
4. Don’t add salad dressing until ready to serve- Salad dressing can make salad soggy after some time. Drizzle salad dressing when ready to serve. Another option is to serve dressing on the side and allow everyone to add dressing to their portion of salad as desired. This also works if you are making this salad for meal prep.
5. Add some protein- You can add some shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken to salad for some added protein.

Homemade Italian Dressing:

Italian dressing is such a zesty and tasty salad dressing perfect on any pasta salad. Store-bought Italian Dressing (or any salad dressings) are loaded with additives, sugar, sodium, saturated fats, etc. Making it at home is so easy and so fresh. You only need a handful of ingredients and you can make it to keep in your fridge. Use on other salads you usually would use Italian Dressing on. Keep in a mason jar refrigerated for up to 4-5 days.

Variations:

• Add some cheese– Sprinkle with some freshly grated parmesan cheese or add some fresh mozzarella.
• Add more protein– Add some shredded chicken, tuna or hard boiled egg for more protein. You can even add some chickpeas to keep it vegetarian and vegan friendly.
• Switch up your veggies– Use any other veggies you have in your fridge. Corn, zucchini, asparagus are all great.
• Make it a bit spicy– Sprinkle a bit of red pepper flakes to add some heat.
• Garnish with fresh herbs– Garnish with fresh Italian parsley, basil, or dill for some added freshness to your veggie pasta salad.

What to serve Easy Veggie Pasta Salad with:

• Grilled Burgers
• Turkey Burgers
• Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
• Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Blue Cheese Dressing
• Shrimp Skewers with Avocado Mango Salsa 
• Mahi Mahi Burgers with Chipotle-Avocado Spread
• Grilled Steak Kabobs with Buttery Chimichurri Sauce

Easy Veggie Pasta Salad FAQ’s:

What makes this pasta salad gluten-free?

This Easy Veggie Pasta Salad can be easily made into gluten-free. All you have to do is use gluten-free pasta. If you’re not gluten-free you can use regular pasta, whole wheat, or any type of pasta you prefer. For this particular pasta I like using Trader Joe’s Quinoa and Brown Rice Fusilli Pasta.

What’s the best noodle to use for easy pasta salad?

I like using fusilli pasta to make this veggie pasta salad. You can use any other kind of pastas like elbow, penne or bow tie.

Can I add different vegetables to the recipe?

Yes. You can either add more vegetables to this pasta. You can also switch them up if you don’t like any and prefer other veggies. Other vegetables you can use in this easy veggie pasta salad are corn, asparagus, zucchini, sugar snap peas, etc.

Can I make this salad in advance?

Yes. This salad is great to make in advance as it holds up in the fridge for a few days.

Meal Prepping it:

While this Easy Veggie Pasta Salad is great for a cookout, Fourth of July party, or any other summer party, it’s also great for meal prep. It’s a great salad to have in your fridge for the week for lunches or as a side for dinner. You can either cook your pasta ahead and chop up your veggies and keep them refrigerated. Then put your salad together when you’re ready to serve.

Storing Easy Veggie Pasta Salad:

Place any leftover veggie pasta salad in an airtight container. Keep it refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.

Like this Easy Veggie Pasta Salad? You may also like these other summer salad recipes:

• Classic Macaroni Salad (Gluten-Free)
• Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with Grilled Chicken
• Watermelon Blueberry Salad with Feta
• Cucumber Herb Salad
• Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Fresh and Easy Fruit Salad
• Adobo Steak and Avocado Salad with Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing
• Grilled Pineapple Chicken Salad
• Southwest Chicken Salad

Print

Easy Veggie Pasta Salad (with Easy Homemade Italian Dressing)

You can't have a good barbecue without a good old pasta salad. This Easy Veggie Pasta Salad will be your go-to side dish this whole summer. Made with gluten-free pasta, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy carrots and bell peppers, broccoli and black olives. Drizzled and tossed with a delicious Homemade Italian Dressing. 

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Gluten-Free Pasta Salad, Veggie Pasta Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 237 kcal

Author Angelica Arias

Ingredients

For Salad:

• 3 cups cooked GF pasta
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1 large carrot
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1.5 cup broccoli florets
• 1 tbsp thinly sliced Italian parsley (for garnish)

For Dressing:

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp pink salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)

Instructions

1. Start by prepping all your veggies; slice cherry tomatoes in half, slice black olives in half, peel and thinly julienne carrots, thinly dice bell pepper, remove broccoli florets from stem and measure out 1.5 cups, and mince garlic for salad dressing.

2. Place a medium saucepan on stovetop and fill up with water about half way. Bring water to a boil on high heat. Once water starts boiling drop broccoli florets in and boil for 2-3 minutes. While broccoli is boiling fill a large mixing bowl with ice and water. Use a skimmer spoon to remove broccoli from boiling water and imminently drop into iced water. Leave broccoli in iced water for a couple of minutes then strain.

3. In a large mixing bowl layer all prepped ingredients; cooked pasta, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, black olives, carrots, and red bell pepper. Place salad in fridge for a few minutes and allow to chill. 

4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the salad dressing; red wine vinegar, olive oil, Italian seasoning, pink salt, black pepper, and minced garlic. Remove salad from fridge and drizzle with salad dressing. Give salad a good toss making sure it's well coated with dressing.

5. Garnish with fresh Italian parsley and serve. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Tips and Substitutions:

1. Use any kind of preferred pasta- My go-to pasta for this recipe is GF Fusilli pasta. You can use any other preferred pasta and it doesn’t have to be gluten-free if you’re not GF. Other kinds of pastas you can use for this salad are elbow, penne or bow tie.
2. Follow package instructions to cook pasta- Cook pasta according to package instructions and measure out 3 cups of cooked pasta for this salad.
3. Use parboil method if you don’t want to microwave broccoli- If you don’t want to cook broccoli in microwave, use parboil method. Boil some water in a saucepan and throw broccoli in. Parboil for about 2 minutes then drain broccoli. Add olive oil, salt and pepper after parboiling.
4. Don’t add salad dressing until ready to serve- Salad dressing can make salad soggy after some time. Drizzle salad dressing when ready to serve. Another option is to serve dressing on the side and allow everyone to add dressing to their portion of salad as desired. This also works if you are making this salad for meal prep.
5. Add some protein- You can add some shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken to salad for some added protein.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Veggie Pasta Salad (with Easy Homemade Italian Dressing)

Amount per Serving

Calories

237

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

13

g

20

%

Saturated Fat

 

2

g

13

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

9

g

Sodium

 

503

mg

22

%

Potassium

 

230

mg

7

%

Carbohydrates

 

28

g

9

%

Fiber

 

3

g

13

%

Sugar

 

2

g

2

%

Protein

 

4

g

8

%

Vitamin A

 

2698

IU

54

%

Vitamin C

 

53

mg

64

%

Calcium

 

42

mg

4

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.

**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used. 

 **Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.