This deliciously creamy Mediterranean Pasta Salad features fresh mozzarella cheese, juicy cherry tomatoes, speckles of red onions, and homemade Italian dressing for the best flavor and creamy texture.
Sprinkled with spicy pepperoncini, chopped basil and freshly-cracked black pepper, you’ll love how comforting yet refreshing this pasta salad is! Perfect for BBQs, parties, picnics, and hot summer days!
Creamy Mediterranean Pasta Salad
I’m a sucker for cold and creamy pasta salads and this one and my Summer Tortellini Salad are my go-to’s!
This Mediterranean Pasta Salad features fresh mozzarella cheese, juicy cherry tomatoes, speckles of red onions, and homemade Italian dressing for the best flavor and creamy texture.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Flavorful. This pasta salad relies on fresh ingredients: fresh mozzarella cheese, juicy tomatoes, crunchy red onion, and fresh basil and homemade dressing to name a few!
- Creamy. You’ll love how deliciously creamy this pasta salad is thanks to the easy homemade Italian dressing!
- Make-Ahead. The best part? You can make this salad ahead of time and serve it the next day!
- Perfect for parties, BBQs, potlucks, and whenever you need a dish that easily comes together but can satisfy lots of guests! It can also be made gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta.
Ingredients for The Pasta Salad
Full measurements included in the recipe card below 🙂
Pasta. You can use your favorite and make this dish gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta. I like to use pastas that come with holes and ridges so the creamy dressing can really sneak in and get you extra creamy spoonfuls of pasta salad!
Mozzarella. This is a key ingredient so make sure you use high-quality mozzarella for best flavor! I recommend getting small mozzarella balls/pearls/ciliegine so you don’t have to chop them up and they won’t leak making the salad runny. If you have the regular kind (fresh but bigger), chop it up in a separate dish, discard the liquid, pat dry with a paper towel (optional), and add it in.
Cheese substitutions: To keep the Mediterranean vibes, you can use firm ricotta salata (still milky but saltier than mozzarella), feta cheese (salty and tangy), or halloumi (fresh, firm, and slightly salty and tangy).
Tomatoes. I recommend cherry tomatoes because they’re juicy and sweet and you won’t need to cut them in half (unless you want to) which causes the tomato juices to run and make the salad watery. If you don’t have those on hand, you can still make this with regular tomatoes, just chop them, salt them in a separate bowl/dish, let them rest for 5-10 minutes, discard the juice, and then add them in.
Red onion. For some crunch and zest.
Dried Pepperoncini for some fun heat. I was raised on dried pepperoncini on hot summer days so, for me, these are one the flavors of childhood Mediterranean summer dishes. You can leave them out or use chili flakes instead, if you’d like.
Basil. Use chopped fresh basil for some extra Mediterranean flavor. If you’re not a fan of basil, you can leave it out.
Ingredients for the Homemade Italian Dressing
Full measurements included in the recipe card below 🙂
Olive oil for the dressing. Make sure you’re using a high-quality one as, sometimes, lower quality olive oil can be very bitter and overpowering.
Mayonnaise for the dressing. This is what makes the dressing and the overall pasta salad deliciously creamy. You can do half mayonnaise, half Greek yogurt if you’d like a healthier take but I love my mayo in this!
Vinegar for the dressing.
Grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (optional), for the dressing. You can totally leave it out if you’re just getting it for this recipe and don’t plan on using it ever again. What it does is it adds some extra flavor and saltiness to the dressing. If you shred you own block at home, it’ll blend in seamlessly into the dressing, store-bought tends to be ickier to blend in but it still works.
Sugar, salt and pepper, for seasoning.
Spices: oregano and garlic are the ones I stick to.
How to make Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Step-by-step instructions included in the recipe card below 🙂
STEP ONE: Cook the pasta in boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and drizzle with olive oil to keep it from sticking, then mix, and set aside to cool down completely.
STEP TWO: Make the homemade Italian dressing. In a clean jar or small bowl, add the olive oil, vinegar, Parmesan cheese, sugar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Shake or mix until combined. Add in the mayonnaise and stir vigorously until combined and creamy. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
STEP THREE: Assemble the pasta salad. In a large serving bowl, add the pasta followed by the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, onion, pepperoncini, and basil. Mix. When ready to serve, give another quick shake to the dressing before pouring it into your prepared pasta salad. Serve cold!
Can you make this ahead of time?
Yes! You can make pasta salad up to 1 day ahead of time.
To make ahead of time, follow the recipe through step 3 but do not add in the dressing. Store the pasta salad covered in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, when ready to serve, add in the dressing and serve!
How do you store pasta salad?
Store any leftovers covered with plastic wrap or in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Please keep in mind that the salad may dry up a bit as the pasta may soak up the dressing overtime which is why you want to add it right before serving.
HAPPY COOKING!! I hope you'll love this Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
More Mediterranean dishes you'll enjoy:
Creamy Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For The Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- 20 oz (560 g) your favorite pasta (use gluten-free pasta for GF eaters)
- 2 cups (250 g) cherry tomatoes
- 8 oz (225 g) mini mozzarella balls (other options: feta cheese, firm ricotta salata, halloumi)
- 1/2 medium red onion (minced)
- 2 tablespoon dried pepperoncini (optional, alternatively you can use a generous sprinkle of chili flakes)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or to taste, optional)
For The Homemade Italian Dressing
- 1/2 cup (115 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vinegar
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp (7 g) grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (optional)
- 1 tsp (5 g) white granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- Black pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 cup (115 g) mayonnaise (room temperature)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and drizzle with olive oil to keep it from sticking, then mix, and set aside to cool down completely.
- Make the homemade Italian dressing. In a clean jar or small bowl, add the olive oil, vinegar, Parmesan cheese, sugar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Shake or mix until combined. Add in the mayonnaise and stir vigorously until combined and creamy. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Assemble the pasta salad. In a large serving bowl, add the pasta followed by the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, onion, pepperoncini, and basil. Mix. When ready to serve, give another quick shake to the dressing before pouring it into your prepared pasta salad. Serve cold!
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