Pasta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe
on Jun 02, 2014, Updated Jan 30, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
I am loving this new Pasta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe that I created this afternoon. It’s very simple but full of great balsamic flavor. Lately I have been buying myself pasta salad at Remke. I am almost thinking I have a sick addiction ha ha. Summer always has me craving different salads. We have quite a few graduation parties to attend these next few weeks that I have offered to bring a dish to pass. I offered up a salad for each one.
Pasta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe
I will be honest, I am the only one in my household who is a fan of pasta salad. So I usually just grab a small dish from the deli or just throw a Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad together. This past week I was realizing how much those trips to the deli counter for pasta salad have been costing. Yimes at $4.99 per pound I decided I need to start making my own. Plus, I had a few of you who mentioned pasta salad as some of your favorite summer salads so I know this Pasta Salad Recipe is going to work great for my dish to pass at our graduation parties.
Making Pasta Salad at home is so simple. I tossed in a few of my favorite veggies. I really like onions, tomatoes, peppers and I HAVE to have the cheese. The addition of a small amount of parm and then some sharp cheddar was perfect. The balsamic dressing that I whipped up was perfect. I normally will just use a bottle of store bought dressing but the addition of the balsamic vinegar flavoring was perfect.
INGREDIENTS
Salad:
1 lb Tricolor Pasta
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced Red Onion
2/3 cup diced Tomatoes
1/2 cup Black Olives
8 oz Cheddar Cheese cubed
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan
Dressing:
1 1/2 tsp Minced Garlic
1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/8 tsp Honey
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
DIRECTIONS
Boil pasta, drain and allow to cool.
Combine all ingredients for dressing and whisk until well blended.
In a large bowl combine all salad ingredients and dressing and toss to coat evenly.
Pasta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- Salad:
- 1 lb Tricolor Pasta
- 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
- 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup diced Red Onion
- 2/3 cup diced Tomatoes
- 1/2 cup Black Olives
- 8 oz Cheddar Cheese cubed
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan
- Dressing:
- 1 1/2 tsp Minced Garlic
- 1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp Basil
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1/8 tsp Honey
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boil pasta, drain and allow to cool.
- Combine all ingredients for dressing and whisk until well blended.
- In a large bowl combine all salad ingredients and dressing and toss to coat evenly.
Easy and delicious!
Made this today with gf spirals. I swapped the peppers for a cucumber and used garbanzo beans instead of the cheeses. It is delicious!
Whoa, nice recipe, I did add some fresh mozzarella.
Wow! This had the perfect combination of ingredients!
I used “Betty Crocker’s Suddenly Salad” package you get from the store, I wanted to find a balsamic dressing to use for the pasta instead of the included packet. The amount of dressing to box package is perfect! So tasty!!! I included everything you added except the olives, as I prefer with other things hehe, I used mini sweet peppers & a can of chicken 🤘 delicious. I’m very happy! Saving this one!
Delicious and fast and ez to make
This looks really good. Maybe when summer finally arrives here, usually late June here in Calgary. I will try it, with gluten free spirals. The salad dressing especially looks good. Once I try your recipe, I might try it also with a can?, 1/2 can black beans with mozzarella cheese. Wow, the possibilities. Thanks so much for your recipe.
Black beans, that’s a great idea! …. Especially from a color/visual standpoint, if you don’t happen to have any olives on hand (which happens to me my case tonight:).
How many people does this recpie feed???