ThisSimple Italian Pasta Saladis made with tender pasta, olives, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and a homemade balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing. It’s perfect as a easy side dish or quick lunch.

If you’re craving pasta salad, be sure to also try mySpinach Bacon Pasta SaladandEasy Pesto Pasta Saladrecipes.

This Is One Of My Favorite Cold Pasta Salad Recipes

I have been loving these simple Italian (or Mediterranean) flavors for a while now so it made sense to add them to a quick and easy pasta salad to serve all summer long. Cold pasta salads have a special place in my heart and this simple Italian Pasta Salad is forever a favorite of mine. You just can’t go wrong with delicious kalamata olives, marinated artichoke hearts, fresh bright tomatoes, and herbs all served with carb-y pasta and a simple balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing. This salad stores and travels well, tastes great for a few days, and you can mix and match what you throw in to what you like or have on hand.

The beauty of making pasta salad in the summer is that the ingredients are all fresh and extra delicious. I like to add both fresh basil and parsley to this recipe, though you can add just one or the other. I also love using garden tomatoes for this because what tastes better than a perfectly ripe garden tomato? You are going to love how easy the dressing is to make, too. Make a double batch and store half for salad later in the week or dip some of my favoriteno-knead breadin it.

I typically serve this (as written) as a side dish, but this recipe is really easy to modify to make it more hearty to serve as a main dish.