This chilled Italian Pasta salad is so easy to make, bursting with vibrant flavor, studded with bites of natural sweetness from medjool dates and can easily be made vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and dairy-free. The perfect dish for summer gatherings!
When you think of pasta salad, you think of medjool dates too right? Well I promise after you make this one, you won't be able to not think of medjools too (Italians please don't come for me this is all light-hearted 😅). This Easy Italian Pasta Salad deliciously blends the classic Mediterranean flavors with a touch of natural sweetness from Joolies medjool dates that will be a hit for any picnic, cookout, or summer hangout.
When it comes to choosing the type of short pasta noodle, I implore you to step outside of the comfort zone of penne and get crazy with a bowtie, a rotini, a fussilli for more than one reason. One being penne seems to get a lot of the spotlight (she's probably an only child🙄) and two being the dressing can get all up in the crooks and crevices of the later, packing more flavor in each bite.
There's just something about cold pasta salads on a sweltering summer day that makes it tastes even better. It's so easy to make, packed with flavor, and can easily be made vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and dairy-free to accommodate everyone's tastebuds and dietary preferences. For the sake of time and ease, we opted for a store-bought Italian dressing but if you have some time to spare to make a homemade version please do!
Ingredients you'll need:
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- Pasta
- This is the base of our salad. We went with Rao's bowtie pasta (we love that it's made with only two ingredients) but feel free to use your favorite short noodle like Rotini, Fussilli, and so on.
- Joolies Medjool Dates
- Even though dates are typically used in sweet dishes, they are an amazing addition to salads, adding a delightful contrast to the savory elements with it's natural sweetness.
- Olives
- We went with green olives, which add a buttery, mild sweet flavor. Black olives will work here or if olives just aren't your thing, feel free to substitute with capers, artichokes, or just omit!
- Red Bell Pepper
- This adds bites of fresh, crisp sweetness and a pop of color that makes the salad more vibrant!
- English Cucumber
- A must for a chilled pasta salad--fresh, crunchy, and so refreshing. We recommend using an English cucumber for it's sweeter flavor, crunchier texture, soft skin (so yucky bitter taste!) and lack of seeds.
- Red Onion
- For a pop of color, it's sharp, tangy flavor, adds depth to every bite. If it's too strong for you, feel free to swap with green onions.
- Italian Dressing
- This ties it all together with a pretty, zesty bow (no pun intended😉) and adds moisture to our salad.
- Fresh Feta Cheese
- For a little creaminess and tangy flavor that adds a unique dimension to the dish. Feel free to omit if you are dairy-free or substitute with a dairy-free version.
- Parsley
- This versatile, common herb adds a fresh, mild peppery flavor and is rich in polyphenols (aka strong antioxidants) to help defend against oxidative stress. Dried herbs generally contain higher levels of polyphenols compared to fresh.
- Salt + Black Pepper
- These work together to really enhance the other flavors we've got going on!
- Optional: Protein
- For some added protein, a cured meat like salami or prosciutto, a summer sausage, or even some simple grilled chicken would make a stellar addition!
- Pasta
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