pool party pasta salad
Prepare your best cannonball AND your best pasta salad for pool szn upcoming.
Happy Tuesday, peeps! And HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY. Actually kinda forgot, though tonight we’re making (vegetarian) bangers and mash for dinner so I’ve been well prepared for the holiday since I decided on that dish a few weeks ago.
Springtime really does inspire an aggressive amount of color and texture in my recipes. We’re all kind of emerging from winter hibernation – to an absolutely fucking absurd amount of pollen, holy god – and if you’re like me you’re craving some meals with more veggies, more fresh herbs, and lighter vinaigrettes.
Say no more. Our Pool Party Pasta Salad inspires images of splashing at the pool, gathering with friends over a few beers and MLB games droning from the radio, the symphonies of rustling leaves and sloshing water, and of course, a spread of delightful and easy dishes to share amongst all. This Italian-inspired pasta bowl is loaded up with olives, tomatoes, cheese, and salami (veggie or regular!), then tossed in a breezy Italian vinaigrette.
An easy, gorgeous side for grilled seafood, or a light supper. No wrong way to enjoy a helping!
Pools of Pasta
For the past two years, I’ve gone apeshit over pasta salads once the seasons shift and the weather warms up. I say that but we’ll be in the 40s for the next few days…Ahem. Regardless, spring officially wafts through in a few days, and the mental shift is undeniable. All but one sweater shelved in favor of lighter tees and shorts that remind me I should probably shave my legs more regularly.
Anywho. All good pasta salads start with, well, pasta. Choose your favorite short-cut noodle: I used radiatori, which I’d been hoarding until my first pasta salad recipe of 2026 became reality. Lo and behold, today’s the day!
Boil off your pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking.
In the meantime, prepare your dressing and your accoutrement. For the dressing, simply shake or whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and dijon mustard, and of course a lil salt and pepper.
Grab a large bowl and toss the warm pasta with about half of the vinaigrette.
The toppings are varied, filling, and fun. I chose a vegetarian salami and white beans for my heft; you can use regular salami or pepperoni. Really, any charcuterie-style meat is fine. Our other stars are cherry tomatoes, mixed olives, mini mozzarella balls and pepper jack cheeses (not very Italian but I am a fan, and I bought a block for some bento box lunches this week), and fresh basil and radicchio.
By the way, radicchio is so fun. I didn’t realize the rounds are so smol! And expensive, sheesh. You can use purple cabbage if that’s more accessible.
Arrange the embellishments over your pasta, then either serve as a nice mosaic of goodness or toss with the pasta to combine. I think it looks pretty all nicely divided. Serve with the rest of the dressing on the side.
This pasta salad keeps wonderfully for the whole week, and can be served straight from the fridge or warmed to room temperature. Leftover dressing will keep for up to two weeks in the chiller.
Who’s ready for pool season? Honestly, now that I have this recipe under my belt, I kind of am. Definitely planning to serve it to friends as soon as I am able!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Many pasta-bilities:
Dill Pickle Crunch Pasta Salad
Chipotle Street Corn Dip Pasta Salad
Pesto Tomato Avocado Caesar Pasta Salad
pool party pasta salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb short-cut pasta
- 1 small radicchio, chopped
- 1 can cannellini beans, drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup mixed olives, halved
- 1/2 cup vegetarian or regular salami, sliced
- 8 oz mini mozzarella balls
- 1 cup pepper jack cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
Italian vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and to make it calm its steaming hot tits. Set aside.
- In a jar or bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, garlic, dijon, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Shake or whisk vigorously until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Pour the pasta into a large bowl. Toss with 1/2 of the vinaigrette. Arrange the radicchio, beans, olives, tomatoes, salami, cheeses, and basil overtop. Drizzle with additional dressing; toss together as desired, unless you want that pretty arrangement to be visible. Then don't toss it.
- Serve at room temperature or cold with the rest of the vinaigrette on the side.
Leave a Reply