Delicious, nourishing, and tasty pasta salad with Castelvetranos olives, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and absolutely delicious dressing. This recipe is perfect for a picnic or a summer party.

OLIVE PASTA SALAD

I like to make pasta salads because they are quick and simple. Also, I really like the variety of ingredients for pasta salads, you can add whatever you want (cheese, olives, beans, etc.) and use any kind of pasta (penne, fusilli, rotini).

Also, the main reason I prepare pasta salad so often is that it can be stored for several days which makes it even tastier. If you want to prepare this pasta salad recipe in advance, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

What ingredients should I add to pasta salad?

If you want to make this pasta salad recipe you will need rotini, Castelvetranos olives, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, olive oil, sun-dried tomato oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Feel free to add other ingredients (artichokes, green beans) or to use other types of pasta (penne, fusilli) and feta cheese instead of mozzarella.

How to Make the Best Pasta Salad?

Follow the recipe below, and make sure to read through the frequently asked questions and pro tips to bake the Best Olive Pasta Salad.

Step 1. In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Step 2. Fill the pot with water. Add some salt. Then, bring it to a boil. Add 16 oz rotini to the salted boiling water. Cook according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Step 3. Transfer chilled cooked rotini to the large salad bowl.

Step 4. Add 1 cup sliced pitted Castelvetranos olives, 1 cup sliced pitted Kalamata olives, ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 8 oz cubed mozzarella cheese, ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese to the bowl with rotini.

Step 5. Add oily dressing to the pasta salad.

Step 6. Stir until completely coated. Store in the refrigerator before serving.

What is the best pasta for pasta salad?

For this pasta salad recipe, you will need 16 oz uncooked rotini, but you can also use fusilli, penne, or farfalle. Cook any type of pasta according to the package directions.

What goes with pasta salad?

This pasta salad tastes good with Chicken Piccata, Cajun Chicken, Alice springs chicken, cracker barrel hashbrown, grilled corn, pork chops, fresh bread, cornbread, roasted vegetables.

Can you make pasta salad the night before?

Yes, you can make this pasta salad recipe the night before. Moreover, this salad will even be tastier if you cook it in advance. As for me, this is one of its advantages.

RECIPE TIPS:

This pasta salad will be tastier if you let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
You can also add artichokes or green beans to this salad.
If you don’t have rotini, you can also use penne or fusilli.
Don’t overcook the pasta.
Place this pasta salad in an airtight container and store for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

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AMAZING OLIVE PASTA SALAD

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Ingredients

For the pasta salad:

- 16 oz rotini, uncooked;
- 1 cup pitted Castelvetranos olives, sliced;
- 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced;
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped;
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes;
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese, grated.

For the dressing:

- ¼ cup olive oil;
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil, reserved from the bottle of sun-dried tomatoes;
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar;
- 2 cloves garlic, minced;
- 1 tsp dijon mustard;
- 1 tsp honey;
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes;
- salt, pepper to taste.

Instructions

Fill the pot with water. Add some salt. Bring to a boil. Add rotini to the salted boiling water. Cook according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer chilled cooked rotini to the large salad bowl.
Add Castelvetranos olives, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese to the bowl with rotini. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, sun-dried tomato oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard, honey, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
Add oily dressing to the pasta salad. Stir until completely coated. Store this salad in the refrigerator before serving.

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