Nothing says summer like a tasty pasta salad, and this Italian-style bow tie pasta salad is the perfect side dish for any summer barbecue!
This farfalle pasta salad recipe is full of taste, fiber, and healthy fats. It has spinach, cherry tomatoes, and bocconcini cheese in it, and it is topped with basil pesto.
This bow tie pasta salad is great for any summer meal, whether you’re having a long weekend, a party, or a family potluck. This pesto-covered pasta salad is light and refreshing, and it’s extremely easy to make. It’s not like creamy pasta salad that has a lot of mayonnaise in it. It also makes fantastic leftovers, so you can make it ahead of time and have it as a meal prep salad all week.
Salad with Bow Tie Pasta
This bright bow tie pasta salad is a great side dish for a summer BBQ or potluck, or it may be the main dish for a light lunch or dinner. It also lasts a long time in the fridge, so it’s a wonderful option for meal prep.
Time to get ready: 10 minutes
Time to cook: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 8 1x
Type: Salad
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
To create this dish, you will need:
- Bow tie spaghetti (farfalle) – terrific shape for cold pasta salad
- Spinach: Raw, baby spinach adds green and fiber; arugula works too
- Tomato: Cherry tomatoes or grape/full tomatoes cut into cubes
- Basil: Fresh herbs brighten and add freshness
- Bocconcini cheese (small mozzarella balls), or cubed mozzarella, parmesan, or feta
- Red Onion: Adds color and crunch (optional)
- Dressing: Mix of basil pesto, olive oil, and lemon juice; Italian vinaigrette optional
I choose to use tomatoes and spinach as the vegetables in my pasta salad, but you may use whatever raw vegetables and leafy greens that you like. This bowtie pasta salad would taste great with cucumbers, red bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, red onions, green onions, and black olives.
- 12 ounces (4 cups) dry bow tie pasta
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup bocconcini cheese, halved
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1 cup packed spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely cut basil
- 3 tablespoons pesto
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Juice from half a lemon
- Salt
- Black pepper
How to Make Bow Tie Pasta Salad
- Fill a big pot with water and bring it to a boil. Cook the bow tie pasta in strongly salted water just past al dente according to package guidelines. Drain, mix with a little olive oil to avoid sticking, and let cool. You can rinse under cold water to speed cooling.
- Chop the onion, spinach, and basil; cut the tomatoes; cut bocconcini cheese in half.
- Make dressing: combine pesto, olive oil, and lemon juice in a small bowl or jar and whisk.
- Add cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bocconcini cheese, spinach, and basil to a large bowl. Mix well.
- Add dressing, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss gently until evenly coated. Adjust seasoning and pesto thickness by tasting and adding more if needed.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container up to five days.
If preparing ahead, refrigerate and re-season with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper before serving.
Dietary Modifications
Use gluten-free bow tie pasta to make it gluten-free.
For dairy-free, omit cheese and use dairy-free pesto.
Red’s Health Tip
A lot of people don’t think of pasta as nutritious, but it is a staple Italian dish dating to the 4th century B.C. Made from flour, water, and salt, pasta offers complex carbohydrates and fiber. It can be rich depending on what accompanies it, but pasta combined with fresh vegetables like in this salad can be part of a healthy balanced diet.
What to Eat with Pasta Salad
Pasta salad is rich in fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbs. Pair it with protein for balance. Some ideas:
- Burgers
- Sausages
- Bird
- Steak
- Shrimp
- Fish
- Tuna
- Tofu
- Hard-boiled eggs
Pasta salad is often a side dish with grilled meat or burgers but also suits vegetarians well as a main dish. Cold pasta salad is refreshing on hot days and keeps well for quick meals.
Storage and Reheating
Store pasta salad airtight in the fridge up to five days.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 serving
- Calories: 236
- Sugar: 3 grams
- Fat: 8 grams
- Carbohydrates: 35 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 7 grams
Questions and Answers
What do you call the pastas that look like bow ties?
Farfalle is the name for bow tie pasta. The Italian word for “butterfly” is “farfalle,” pronounced “far-FALL-ay.” Its shape resembles a bow tie.
How long should you boil bow tie pasta?
It takes 11 to 13 minutes to cook bow tie pasta. For al dente, cook about 11 minutes.
What are the ingredients in bow tie pasta?
Durum wheat semolina flour is used to make bow tie pasta.
Do you need to rinse the pasta before making pasta salad?
After cooking, drain pasta. Rinse to stop cooking and cool it for salad preparation.
How many calories are in a salad with bow tie pasta?
Calories vary by recipe and serving size. Each serving of this bow tie pasta salad has 236 calories, 3 g fat, 7 g protein, 35 g carbs, and 2 g fiber. The recipe makes 8 side dish servings.