Creamy Italian Pasta Salad, the perfect Summer Pasta recipe made with fresh tomatoes, avocado, zucchini and herbs and a deliciously creamy Homemade Italian Dressing.

I don’t know about you but the question of the day is always “what am I going to feed them today”? If we could eat desserts all day I would have no problem!

But seriously, an Italian will not live on just a sandwich. And lunch is the big meal of the day, which in my opinion is the way it should be. For dinner, maybe a salad, a couple of pieces of cheese or prosciutto, some bread or leftovers from lunch.

Once summer hits, the Italian is happy with pasta dish a couple of times a week, now me I could eat the stuff morning, noon and night with a couple of desserts thrown in for good measure.

So, during the hot summer months, we do have pasta a few times a week and more often than not it’s a cold pasta salad.

After I made my Grilled Chicken a few weeks ago, I knew that the creamy Italian dressing would be perfect with this fresh vegetable pasta salad, and it was. The veggies and dressing with pasta are satisfying without being heavy, making it a wonderful light meal for a warm day.

Italian Pasta Salad Ingredients

Mayonnaise
Milk
Balsamic vinegar
Italian seasoning
Sugar
Crushed garlic
Salt and pepper
Cherry tomatoes
Mini fresh mozzarella balls
Grilled zucchini slices
Julienned carrots
Sliced avocado
Fresh basil
Cooked farfalle (bow ties)

How to make Creamy Pasta Salad Dressing

In a medium glass jar or small blender combine the milk, mayonnaise, balsamic and spices.
Shake well or blend until completely combined and creamy.
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to combine the flavours.

The ingredients for the creamy dressing in the processor before and after mixed.

How to Make the Salad

Boil the bow ties until al dente. Drain and rinse them with cold water. Combined the cooked pasta, cut vegetables, tomatoes, and mozzarella in a large bowl.

the cut up vegetables and cheese on a wooden board.

Add the dressing and gently stir to combine. Top the salad with fresh basil and serve.

The pasta, dressing and vegetables in a white bowl.

Recipe Tips

I like this salad the day it’s made. If you make it and refrigerate it the pasta will absorb some of the dressing making it less creamy.

If you do want to make parts of it ahead, you can. Mix the dressing a day in advance and refrigerate it. You can also grill the zucchini and prep the carrots and tomatoes a day in advance. Keep them tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Creamy pasta salad on a plate and in a bowl.

For the zucchini, I like to brush the slices lightly with olive oil and grill them for a few minutes on a hot grill. Cook them long enough to get some char marks. The zucchini should be tender but not mushy.

If you don’t have a grill, you can also saute the slices in a skillet with a little olive oil until tender. Let them cool and then add them to your salad.

How to store it

Store the pasta in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to 4 days in the fridge.

A Creamy Homemade Dressing mixed with fresh summer vegetables and bow tie pasta, the perfect summer Pasta Salad dinner idea. Fast and Easy and really tasty. Buon Appetito!

More Delicious Summer Salads

Maybe you’d like some more summer recipe ideas? These dishes are light, delicious and perfect for hot weather.