This Italian Confetti Pasta salad loaded with fresh veggies and topped with a zesty homemade Italian-style dressing. It’s potluck perfection and can easily be made ahead of time for easy peasy party prep!
Hookay so… my Instagramsemi-explodedthe other day when I posted a photo of my pregnancy-induced pasta salad-a-thon.
I think it’s a combination of everyone being giddy with excitement over spring and summer produce breaking us out of our winter rut as well as the fact that pastaistheultimate comfort food.
It holds a dear place in my heart simply because it’s so flipping versatile.
I can whip up a bowl with nearly any random combination of fridge and pantry ingredients and it can be ready in a moment’s notice. This isabsolutelyperfect around BBQ/party/potluck season in the Spring and Summertime and, in true military mama fashion, I usually find out about most of these events a few hours before I have to attend them.
It’s my speedy savior and always an instant hit. It’s also one of those dishes that, when I make it, results in a full-blown husband happy dance. I think it’s safe to say that I make this a lot.
I love a good pasta salad happy dance!
So I have a few plans in the works.
I want to finally sit down and write up my dressing combinations for you kids. There are a LOT of them and they’re all quick, easy, and crazy delicious! Some can even be made entirely with pantry ingredients alone.
I also want to write down all my favorite pasta salad combinations, since this dish can literally be made a thousand and one ways. I’m happy to do this. Not because I love you or anything (I do. Dearly.) but because I really want an excuse to eat more pasta salad.
Until then, here’s my go-to recipe. This is the one I’ve been making non-stop since the temps started getting warmer outside and yes, the very same pasta salad I teased you guys with on Instagram. Sorry about that!
The above photos are the old-school photos of the salad that I took back in 2013!
Confetti Pasta Salad
I think I’ve confessed my love to this pasta salad three or four times in this post so far, so let’s do this once more: I LOVE THIS STUFF! I don’t typically make it in the fall or winter so the fact that it’s finally“pasta salad season” has me craving it like a madman.
The Italian dressing has a higher vinegar content than most and gives the salad a real kick of flavor while the cheese compliments the zesty dressing and crunchy veggies perfectly. I hope you love it as much as I do!
have a lemon handy?
The last batch I made I added both the zest and juice of a lemon to and LOVED the refreshing twist it added to the salad. Curious? Test it out by grating a little bit of zest and adding juice to a small serving of the salad and if you love it, add it to the whole batch!
Dress it up!
Feel free to whip up extra dressing so anyone that wants a little extra can drizzle it on their salad. I add an extra half cup of dressing the following day since the noodles soak up the goodness overnight. I think it’s safe to say that this salad is great the first day, and even better the next!
Sometimes we even add a little Caesar dressing to the mix for a creamy pasta salad <— so good!
Italian Confetti Pasta Salad
This Italian Confetti Pasta salad loaded with fresh veggies and topped with a zesty homemade Italian-style dressing. It’s potluck perfection and can easily be made ahead of time for easy peasy party prep!
5 from 23 votes
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Confetti Pasta Salad, Pasta Salad
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Author: Jenn Laughlin – Peas and Crayons
Ingredients
- 12 oz tri-color rotini pasta
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 1-2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1-2 cups sliced mini peppers or diced bell peppers
- ½ large english cucumber
- finely grated parmesan and romano cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
Simple + Speedy Italian Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 1 TBSP mrs dash italian seasoning blend (it tastes AMAZING on everything)
- ½ TBSP garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
To make the dressing: Whisk all ingredients together and allow to sit. Giving the dressing some time to mingle will not only infuse flavor into the oil/vinegar but also soften the dry herbs and seasoning. It should keep in your fridge for about a week, if needed.
note: I use the entire batch of dresing for the pasta salad and then make a second 1/2 cup of dressing for the following day. Once the pasta has spent 24 hours marinating in the fridge it has pretty much soaked up all your yummy dressing — adding more coats the pasta and amps up the flavor.
Bring a large pot of water [about 4 to 6 quarts] to a boil.
Boil noodles for around 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, for al dente pasta. To prevent sticking, feel free to add a little bit of oil to the pot. I add a spoonful of my favorite coconut oil and have to refrain from sticking my hand in the pot to eat them prematurely.
After 7 minutes has passed, scoop out a noodle and test for tenderness.
Once they’re ready, remove from heat and strain in a colander to remove the water. As long as the noodles are hot they’ll continue cooking, if you prefer to add the dressing to hot noodles [some say it helps the noodles soak up the flavor] then cook them more on the al-dente side and less tender. If you plan on rinsing your noodles with cold water to halt the cooking process, then you can cook them until they reach your ideal tenderness. Totally a matter of preference! It seems silly to mention it but the last thing I want is for you to end up with mushy noodles, those are about as fun as a bag of wet mice. [or hungry bloggers]
While your noodles are cooking, chop your veggies. I like to slice my mini peppers into rings and halve my cherry tomatoes. For the cukes, I cut the entire cucumber into quarters and then slice into little triangles. I get more veggies per forkful this way and I love the way it looks.
By the time you’ve finished chopping your noodles should be done!
Add your veggies and dressing to the mix and toss to incorporate.
Dust the entire bowl with parmesan romano cheese and dig. on. in.
Notes
I love the look/texture of combining some elbow macaroni with the rotini but feel free to skip it if you don’t have any on hand! It’s more of an add-on than a necessity.
Craving a creamy dressing? Mix the above Italian dressing recipe with your favorite homemade or natural store-bought Caesar dressing.
Nutrition Facts below are an estimate gathered using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 289kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 6g, Sodium: 64mg, Potassium: 230mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 150IU, Vitamin C: 15.8mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1.2mg
Did you make this recipe?I want to see! Tag @peasandcrayons on Instagram and Facebook!
If you get a chance to try this confetti pasta salad, let me know!
Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation! I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
More Tasty Pasta Salad Recipes
- Greek Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Orzo Pasta Salad
- Spinach Pasta Salad with Feta and Tomato
- NEW! Summer Orzo Salad with Chickpeas and Feta
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Arugula and Feta
- Caprese Strawberry Pasta Salad
- Classic Italian Veggie Pasta Salad
- Garden Veggie Tortellini Pasta Salad – READER FAVORITE!
special diets and swaps
Need to make a few changes to fit your dietary needs? I’ve got your back!
Vegan Pasta Salad
Vegansaurus chefs:skip the cheesy topping and you’re good to go!
You can also add extra veggies to this pasta salad like broccoli, cauliflower, olives, and more! I’m a huge fan of adding some plant based protein like chickpeas (garbanzo beans) too!
Pasta Salad with Meat
T-Rex chefs:you can add cubed ham or turkey to this pasta salad if you’d like but my carnivore husband insists it’s awesome without. Let your stomach be your guide! I add crispy bacon to my Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad and it’s pretty amazing!
Cheesy Pasta Salad
I used parmesan cheese here but when it comes to pasta salad, there are so many tasty options! You can try it with crumbled feta cheese or even cubed or shredded cheddar cheese.
My Caprese Tortellini Pasta Salad even uses little mozzarella balls — so tasty!
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About The Author:
Jenn Laughlin
Hi! I’m Jenn and I’m here to help you eat your veggies! It'll be fun, painless, and pretty darn delicious as I teach you to plan your meals around fresh, seasonal produce with a little help from healthy freezer and pantry staples.
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