Vegetarian Cucumber Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

Finding a crowd-pleasing side dish that works for everything from summer BBQs to potluck dinners can feel impossible. You need something that’s easy to make ahead, travels well, and actually tastes good even after sitting out for a while—and that’s not even mentioning the challenge of pleasing picky eaters who seem to have an opinion about everything.

That’s where this cucumber pasta salad with Italian dressing comes in clutch. It’s fresh, flavorful, and comes together in about 30 minutes with ingredients you can grab at any grocery store. Plus, it actually gets better as it sits in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep or those days when you need to bring something to a gathering without any last-minute stress.

What Kind of Cucumber Should I Use?

English cucumbers are the best choice for this pasta salad because they have fewer seeds and thinner skin, which means you don’t need to peel them. They also tend to be less watery than regular cucumbers, so your pasta salad won’t get soggy sitting in the fridge. If you can’t find English cucumbers, regular cucumbers will work just fine – just scoop out the seeds with a spoon and consider peeling them if the skin seems thick or waxy. Persian cucumbers are another great option if you spot them at the store, as they’re crisp and have a mild flavor that works perfectly in cold salads.

Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Fusilli or rotini pasta: Any short pasta shape works great here – try penne, farfalle, or even bowtie pasta. The key is using something with ridges or curves that’ll catch the dressing.
• Mini mozzarella balls: Regular mozzarella cut into cubes is a fine substitute. You can also use cubed provolone or even feta cheese if you want a tangier flavor.
• English cucumber: Regular cucumbers work too, but you’ll want to scoop out the seeds first since they’re more watery. Persian cucumbers are another good option.
• Kalamata olives: Not a fan of kalamata? Try black olives or green olives instead. You can also leave them out completely if olives aren’t your thing.
• Pepperoncini: Swap these with banana peppers or pickled jalapeños for a different kick, or skip them if you prefer less tang.
• Fresh herbs: While fresh basil and parsley really make this salad pop, you can use dried herbs in a pinch – just use about 1 tablespoon of each instead.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with pasta salad is undercooking the pasta – you actually want to cook it past al dente since it firms up as it cools and absorbs the dressing, so aim for about 1-2 minutes longer than the package directions suggest.

Skipping the step of tossing the warm pasta with olive oil right after draining leads to clumpy, stuck-together noodles that won’t mix well with your other ingredients, so don’t rush this part.

Adding the dressing while the pasta is still warm causes it to soak up too much liquid and makes your salad dry by serving time – always let the pasta cool completely to room temperature first.

Finally, wait to add the basil until just before serving because it turns brown and wilts quickly when mixed with acidic dressing, and your salad will look much fresher if you toss it in at the last minute.

What to Serve With Cucumber Pasta Salad?

This pasta salad is pretty filling on its own, but it’s perfect alongside grilled chicken, steak, or Italian sausages at your next cookout. I love serving it with simple grilled proteins because the pasta salad already has so much going on with all those veggies and cheese. It also pairs really well with garlic bread or focaccia if you want to round out the meal. For a full Italian spread, you could add some marinated artichoke hearts or a caprese salad on the side, though honestly, this dish is hearty enough to be the star of the show at any potluck or barbecue.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad actually gets better as it sits! Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors will meld together nicely overnight, making it perfect for meal prep or potlucks.

Make Ahead: You can totally make this a day or two in advance. Just hold off on adding the fresh basil until right before serving to keep it looking fresh and green. Give it a good stir before serving since the dressing tends to settle at the bottom.

Refresh: If your pasta salad seems a bit dry after sitting in the fridge, just drizzle a little extra olive oil or Italian dressing over it and toss well. The pasta absorbs the dressing as it sits, so don’t be shy about adding a splash more to bring it back to life.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2200-2400
• Protein: 60-70 g
• Fat: 90-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 285-310 g

Ingredients

• 1 lb fusilli (Barilla recommended)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 8 oz mozzarella pearls
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 full English cucumber, sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
• 1 cup red onion, finely diced
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 3/4 cup pepperoncini, sliced into thin rings
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups Italian dressing
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 cup fresh basil, torn
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Step 1: Prepare the Pasta Base

• 1 lb fusilli
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fusilli according to package directions until just past al dente—this gives the pasta enough texture to absorb the dressing without becoming mushy.

Drain thoroughly and immediately toss with the olive oil to prevent sticking.

Spread the pasta on a large cutting board or sheet pan to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally so it cools evenly.

This step typically takes 15-20 minutes and can happen while you prep the vegetables.

Step 2: Prepare All Fresh Vegetables and Garnishes

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 red pepper
• 1 full English cucumber
• 1 cup red onion
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives
• 3/4 cup pepperoncini
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 8 oz mozzarella pearls
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

While the pasta cools, prep all your vegetables to save time during assembly.

Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the red pepper into bite-sized pieces, slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch half moons, finely dice the red onion, and slice both the kalamata olives and pepperoncini into thin rings.

Chop the fresh parsley and tear the fresh basil into small pieces.

I like to keep the basil separate from the other herbs since it’s more delicate and tastes fresher when added just before serving.

Have the mozzarella pearls and grated parmesan ready as well.

Step 3: Combine Pasta with Vegetables and Dressing

• cooled pasta from Step 1
• prepared vegetables from Step 2
• 1 1/4 cups Italian dressing
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley from Step 2

Once the pasta has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a large mixing bowl.

Add the prepared tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, red pepper, cucumber, red onion, olives, and pepperoncini along with the chopped parsley.

Pour in the Italian dressing and season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Toss everything together thoroughly, ensuring the dressing coats all the pasta and vegetables evenly.

I recommend letting this sit for 10-15 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld together and the pasta can fully absorb the dressing.

Step 4: Finish and Serve

• combined salad from Step 3
• 1 cup fresh basil from Step 2
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese from Step 2

Just before serving, gently fold in the torn fresh basil and top with the grated parmesan cheese.

This keeps the basil bright and prevents it from bruising or darkening.

Give the salad one final gentle toss to distribute the basil evenly, then transfer to a serving bowl or individual plates.

The salad tastes best served at room temperature and can be made up to 2 hours ahead—just add the basil and parmesan right before serving for the best flavor and texture.

Vegetarian Cucumber Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

Delicious Vegetarian Cucumber Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 2300 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb fusilli (Barilla recommended)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 8 oz mozzarella pearls
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 full English cucumber, sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
• 1 cup red onion, finely diced
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 3/4 cup pepperoncini, sliced into thin rings
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups Italian dressing
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 cup fresh basil, torn
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fusilli according to package directions until just past al dente—this gives the pasta enough texture to absorb the dressing without becoming mushy. Drain thoroughly and immediately toss with the olive oil to prevent sticking. Spread the pasta on a large cutting board or sheet pan to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally so it cools evenly. This step typically takes 15-20 minutes and can happen while you prep the vegetables.
• While the pasta cools, prep all your vegetables to save time during assembly. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the red pepper into bite-sized pieces, slice the cucumber into 1/4-inch half moons, finely dice the red onion, and slice both the kalamata olives and pepperoncini into thin rings. Chop the fresh parsley and tear the fresh basil into small pieces. I like to keep the basil separate from the other herbs since it's more delicate and tastes fresher when added just before serving. Have the mozzarella pearls and grated parmesan ready as well.
• Once the pasta has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Add the prepared tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, red pepper, cucumber, red onion, olives, and pepperoncini along with the chopped parsley. Pour in the Italian dressing and season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss everything together thoroughly, ensuring the dressing coats all the pasta and vegetables evenly. I recommend letting this sit for 10-15 minutes before serving so the flavors can meld together and the pasta can fully absorb the dressing.
• Just before serving, gently fold in the torn fresh basil and top with the grated parmesan cheese. This keeps the basil bright and prevents it from bruising or darkening. Give the salad one final gentle toss to distribute the basil evenly, then transfer to a serving bowl or individual plates. The salad tastes best served at room temperature and can be made up to 2 hours ahead—just add the basil and parmesan right before serving for the best flavor and texture.