Lemon Summer Pasta Salad
Posted Jun 03, 2022, Updated Jun 18, 2023
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This summer pasta salad is bright and flavorful. A delicious homemade lemon dressing, fresh dill and in-season summer vegetables make this lemon pasta salad irresistibly delicious! The perfect BBQ side dish!
We make pasta salad all the time in the warmer months (like this Italian pasta salad). I wanted a bright and lemony version so I created this summer pasta salad which has quickly become one of our favorites.
Pasta and in-season summer veggies are tossed in a homemade lemon dressing and garnished with fresh dill. Everything delicious about summer in one bowl!
Serve it alongside your favorite BBQ dishes for a healthy and delicious side dish to feed a crowd. Or, eat it by itself for a veggie-forward main dish.
Lemon Pasta Salad: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Penne pasta. any shape of pasta can be used in this recipe. Our favorites include (but are not limited to): fusilli, farfalle (bowties), gemelli, and rotelle (wheels).
- Vegetables. this summer pasta salad recipe calls for cucumbers, baby tomatoes and bell peppers. Feel free to use your favorite veggies. Some suggestions include: blanched broccoli, zucchini, peas, corn, avocado, shredded carrots, heirloom tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, etc.
- Olive oil. avocado oil is a good substitute for olive oil.
- Red onion. any onion variety works well. Aside from red, yellow and white are good choices.
- Fresh dill. freeze-dried dill can be used in place of fresh, but I suggest fresh if you can.
- Mustard. we use Dijon, any variety works well.
- Parmesan cheese. feta cheese, goat cheese and fresh mozzarella all taste great in this summer pastas salad.
- Lemon juice. fresh or bottled both work great.
- Honey. maple syrup or granulated sugar are good substitutes for honey.
How to make Summer Pasta Salad
This summer pasta salad is very easy to make. Especially if you cook the pasta in advance so it has plenty of time to cool. The most time-consuming piece of this recipe is chopping all the veggies – which can also be done in advance.
Cook pasta
Since the pasta needs to cool before assembling this lemon pasta salad, cook it according to package instructions in salted water. Once cooked, drain the pasta but do not rinse. Stir it occasionally in the colander to help it cool.
While pasta is cooking make the dressing
To make the lemon dressing, simply whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Alternatively, you can add the ingredients to a glass jar and shake it to combine.. Set it aside.
Assemble the pasta salad
In a large bowl combine pasta, veggies, onion and half of the dressing, parmesan cheese and fresh dill and stir to combine. Save the rest of the dressing.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, toss with remaining dressing. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Serve
Garnish the summer pasta salad with fresh dill and extra parmesan cheese and serve chilled with your favorite main dish. Here are some suggestions:
- Serve it alongside you favorite grilled entrees like chicken satay skewers, marinaded flank steak, hamburgers (with homemade burger buns), and lemon chicken kebabs.
- We like to enjoy pasta salad alongside BBQ chicken sandwiches, egg salad sandwiches, chicken salad, etc.
Store
Store leftover lemon pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I don’ recommend freezing this recipe.
Recipe FAQs
These are our top choices: penne, fusilli, farfalle (bowties), gemelli, and rotelle (wheels).
You can make this salad the night before. Cover it and store in the refrigerator overnight.
You need to make sure to use enough dressing so your pasta salad isn’t dry. You can always add more if you want to change the consistency.
Put it in a large bowl and stir it every couple minutes. Do NOT rinse with cold water.
No. Un-rinsed pasta absorbs dressing much better.
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Lemon Summer Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups penne pasta (dry) (16 oz, 1 lb or 454 g)
- 1 cucumber peeled and diced
- 1 pint baby tomatoes halved
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 green pepper diced
- ½ cup red onion diced
- fresh dill chopped
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Lemon Dressing:
- ½ cup olive oil
- 6 TBS lemon juice
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 TBS minced garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook pasta:
- Cook pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Drain and do not rinse. Let the pasta cool slightly before proceeding with the recipe.
While pasta is cooking make the dressing:
- Add dressing ingredients to a small bowl.
- Whisk to combine.
- Alternatively, you can add the ingredients to a glass jar and shake it to combine.
- Set aside.
Assemble the pasta salad
- In a large bowl combine pasta, vegetables, onion and half of the dressing, parmesan cheese and fresh dill and stir to combine. Save the rest of the dressing.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to serve, toss with remaining dressing. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Garnish with fresh dill.
Video
Notes
- Penne pasta. any shape of pasta can be used in this recipe. Our favorites include (but are not limited to): fusilli, farfalle (bowties), gemelli, and rotelle (wheels).
- Vegetables. this summer pasta salad recipe calls for cucumbers, baby tomatoes and bell peppers. Feel free to use your favorite veggies. Some suggestions include: blanched broccoli, zucchini, peas, corn, avocado, shredded carrots, heirloom tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, etc.
- Olive oil. avocado oil is a good substitute for olive oil.
- Red onion. any onion variety works well. Aside from red, yellow and white are good choices.
- Fresh dill. freeze-dried dill can be used in place of fresh, but I suggest fresh if you can.
- Mustard. we use Dijon, any variety works well.
- Parmesan cheese. feta cheese, goat cheese and fresh mozzarella all taste great in this summer pastas salad.
- Lemon juice. fresh or bottled both work great.
- Honey. maple syrup or granulated sugar are good substitutes for honey.
Store
Store leftover lemon pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I don’ recommend freezing this recipe.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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The photos in this post were taken by Nyssa from Nyssa’s Kitchen.
Have you ever added protein to this dish?
Yes! Grilled chicken is delicious – I like to serve it with these Chicken Kebabs or you can try Greek Chicken!
It days to chill for at least 1 2 hours. Siri that be 12 or 1-2 hours? Thank you!
At least 2 hours! I will fix that thank you!
I made this dish and the dressing was delicious but I didn’t add enough. I want to make it again for a brunch and want to make it the day before – is that ok? Should I wait to dress the day of the event? Or partially dress night before. Should I put feta cheese in day of event so it doesn’t get mushy ?
I save some dressing to toss it with right before serving. The cheese should not get mushy overnight but you can add it whenever you’d like!
So yummy,
Made this tonight for a special lunch tomorrow. Smells amazing and summery (if that’s a word 😉 thanks for the great recipe!
Loved your Summer Pasta Salad and Blueberry Zucchini Bread!
Thank you so much!
Thank you Hannah!