This vibrant Fly Pasta Salad is the perfect spring or summer side dish! Each bite is filled with juicy tomatoes, chickpeas and lots of fresh basil, and the pasta is tossed with a homemade parmesan herb dressing that’s simply delicious.
Summer parties and barbecues always need a delicious pasta salad! And this recipe is super easy with no fancy ingredients. Only selected seasonal summer vegetables, fresh herbs and lots of parmesan. Every bite of pasta is filled with fresh summer flavor!
This pasta salad is perfect for feeding a crowd, and you can make it ahead of time which is always a win!
ingredients
Below is the full list of ingredients for this recipe! You will also find some special notes and substitutes if needed.
Pasta: This recipe uses bowtie pasta (better known as farfalle) but you can swap it out for any short pasta shape you like! I do not recommend using spaghetti or long pasta. 😉
Tomatoes: Fresh cherry tomatoes should not be missing from the pasta salad! You can also use regular whole tomatoes, but I prefer cherry tomatoes because they’re sweeter and less watery.
Paprika: Use yellow, orange, or red peppers. You can also swap in marinated roasted red peppers for a little extra flavor!
Red onion: Even if you’re not an onion fan, I highly recommend using red onions. You can also swap in green onions or even a shallot.
Garbonzo Beans: for some protein!
Fresh Basil: A must for every pasta salad! And I recommend lots of fresh basil for lots of flavor. And I don’t recommend substituting fresh basil for dried basil! The taste will not be the same.
Parmesan herb dressing: a delicious homemade herb dressing with parmesan cheese for a rich flavor!
How to make bow tie pasta salad
- Make the noodles! First, cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water until it is al dente in consistency.
- Make the dressing! In a small glass or bowl, add all the ingredients for the dressing and mix together. Set aside for later.
- Assemble the salad in a large bowl with drained pasta, chopped vegetables, herbs and dressing. Stir together until dressing is evenly coated. Taste, season with additional salt, black pepper or even a little more garlic powder if needed – then serve immediately or leave to marinate in the fridge!
Tips for Success
Make it ahead! – Pasta salad is the perfect prep meal to save time and energy. Plus, the flavors marinate even more while it sits! Here’s how: Prepare pasta according to recipe, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (try to serve within 24 hours of preparation to keep flavors fresh).
Marinate flavors – A great way to develop more flavor in a pasta salad is to let the salad marinate in the dressing. I recommend covering the salad for several hours before serving, but it’s just as delicious served fresh! If you marinate the salad, don’t forget to serve it with additional parmesan when it’s done.
recipe variations – This recipe is fully customizable so you can use whatever you want. A few ingredients I also like to use are roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, cooked asparagus, corn, fresh oregano, edible flowers (for a pretty presentation), spinach, feta cheese, and olives!
Don’t overcook the pasta! – Be sure to cook the pasta until the texture is “al dente” with a light texture. If the pasta is too soft/overcooked, the salad will be soggy, and we definitely don’t want that!
Make it healthier – If you don’t prefer regular wheat pasta, you can use whole wheat pasta or gluten-free pasta!
Prevent the noodles from sticking – If you drain the pasta and don’t assemble the pasta salad right away, put the pasta back in the pot you cooked them in and fill with cold water. Leave them in the water until you are ready to use them. This is a tip my mom taught me to keep pasta from sticking!
More spring and summer salads
Tuscan artichoke salad
Summer farro salad
Watermelon Feta Salad
If you tried this Bowtie Pasta Salad with Parmesan Herb Dressing Recipe or another recipe, do not forget Rate the recipe and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you! You can continue to follow me PINTEREST, INSTAGRAMand FACEBOOK for more yearning content.
This vibrant Fly Pasta Salad is the perfect spring or summer side dish! Each bite is filled with juicy tomatoes, chickpeas and lots of fresh basil, and the pasta is tossed with a homemade parmesan herb dressing that’s simply delicious.
portions 8th
Preparation time: fifteen minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Course:
main course, salad
Kitchen:
American, Italian
tags:
Bowtie Pasta Salad, Farfalle Pasta Salad, Vegetarian Pasta Salad
Freezer friendly:
no
calories: 382 kcal
Pasta salad
-
1
lb
dried bowtie pasta noodles -
2
cups
cherry tomatoes,
halved -
1
Paprika,
rolled -
1
Cup
cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans -
1/3
Cup
Red onion,
cut -
3
tablespoon
fresh basil,
chopped -
fresh parmesan cheese
To serve
dressing
-
1/2
Cup
high quality olive oil -
1/4
Cup
red wine vinegar -
2
tablespoon
freshly grated parmesan cheese -
3/4
teaspoon
garlic powder -
1/2
teaspoon
dried oregano -
1/2
teaspoon
dried basil - Salt and black pepper to taste
-
Cook pasta: In a large pot of well-salted water, cook the noodles according to package directions. I like to cook the pasta until the texture is “al dente”.
-
Make the dressing: In a mason jar with a lid or small bowl, combine the ingredients for the salad dressing. If you have a jar with a lid, you can shake it. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
-
Assemble the salad: When the pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water, then place the pasta in a large bowl with the tomatoes, chickpeas, chopped fresh basil, Paprika, red onion and dressing. Mix until dressing evenly coats all ingredients, taste and adjust flavor with additional salt or black pepper. Serve with fresh parmesan on top! Special Note: If you don’t prepare the noodle salad immediately after draining the noodles, put the noodles back into the same pot of cold water to prevent the noodles from sticking.