This chill summer pasta salad is perfectly refreshing on a hot day and a tasty way to enjoy fresh summer tomatoes! It’s easy to whip up for a quick lunch, a simple addition to a cookout, or great to prep ahead at the beginning of the week and enjoy all week long.
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We are currently swimming in tomatoes from our garden– a very good problem to have! I’ve been using tomatoes for marinara, pizza sauce, on sliders, salsa, and of course, simply in tomato sandwiches with homemade mayonnaise.
I’m also always on the hunt for easy lunches, especially in the summer when we are seemingly constantly busy– either on regular adventure days, picnics at parks, or at home trying to tackle my mile-high to-do list.
This pasta salad is a cold version of lunch pasta dishes we enjoy the rest of the year. (Garlic Orzo with Bacon and Greens, and Mac’n’Cheese with Bacon and Peas are both delicious, but hot pastas aren’t always exactly what I crave when it’s really hot outside). The pasta is tossed with flavorful tomatoes, salty bacon, tender cheese, and bright summer peas. A quick dressing ties everything together.
Super Simple Summer Pasta Salad
I have long since stopped cooking macaroni in anything other than my Instant Pot. It’s just so easy and reliable. I can combine the noodles, water, and salt together, then press start and work on something else. In this case, prepping the remaining pasta salad ingredients and mixing the dressing.
The tomatoes are meant to be the star of the show in this dish– with the cheese, bacon, and peas playing their supporting roles well too– so it’s important to use the freshest tomatoes you can find.
Likewise, the fresh mozzarella and champagne vinegar may not be ingredients you regularly have on hand, but they do add a lot to the overall tastiness of this dish too. A bottle of champagne vinegar will last quite a while in your pantry.
This pasta salad can come together very quickly, but is also a great dish to prep ahead at the beginning of the week for quick and easy meals. The flavors just get better as it chills in the fridge.
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Super Simple Summer Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: pressure cook
Description
This chill summer pasta salad is perfectly refreshing on a hot day and a tasty way to enjoy fresh summer tomatoes! It’s easy to whip up for a quick lunch, a simple addition to a cookout, or great to prep ahead at the beginning of the week and enjoy all week long.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups dried macaroni noodles
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2” cubes
- 1/2 cup fresh peas, steamed
- 1/2 cup cooked, chopped bacon
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped tomatoes
Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp champagne vinegar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 tsp dried basil, or 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Combine the macaroni and 2 3/4 cups of water in the Instant Pot. Add 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Place the lid on and turn the valve to sealing. Set the cook time for 3 minutes on high pressure. When the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining pasta salad ingredients to the cooked macaroni– the cheese, peas, bacon, and tomatoes.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small jar, then pour over the pasta salad mixture. Toss well to incorporate. Enjoy immediately or (even better) chill before serving.
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