The pasta salad you grew up with at every summer cookout was drowning in mayonnaise and had ingredients that should never be near pasta (chunks of ham? baby carrots?). This is the pasta salad adults actually eat — cold pasta, sharp cheese, bright tomatoes, salty olives, a serious pour of olive oil. Five ingredients, no mayo, and it's actually better after a night in the fridge. Bring it anywhere.
What You Need
- 12oz short pasta, rotini, bowties, or penne
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup mozzarella balls, ciliegine or cubed mozzarella
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
- 1/3 cup good olive oil, plus red wine vinegar to taste
How to Make It
- 1
Cook pasta in heavily salted water to al dente. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water until completely cool — this stops the cooking and prevents the pasta from getting gummy.
- 2
Toss pasta with tomatoes, mozzarella, and olives in a big bowl.
- 3
Dress with olive oil and a healthy glug of red wine vinegar (start with 2 tablespoons, add more to taste). Season with salt and black pepper. Let sit 20 minutes before serving — the pasta needs time to soak up the dressing.
- 4
Stir again before serving. Even better chilled for a few hours or overnight.
