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This linguine pasta salad is fresh, zesty, loaded with crisp veggies, and absolutely meant to be served cold. The homemade Italian dressing gets into every tangle of linguine, so you get something tangy, savoury, and seriously satisfying in every forkful.
We’re officially on recipe #5 of 7 in my Summer Salad Series, and this one brings the pasta to the party. Tender linguine gets tossed with juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumber and bell pepper, artichoke hearts, briny olives, Parmesan, and a punchy dressing made from scratch. It’s colourful, fresh, and even better once it’s had a few hours to chill.
Serve this cold pasta salad alongside my Caprese chicken saltimbocca or sun-dried tomato turkey meatballs for an easy summer dinner. And if pasta salad is speaking your language lately, my Caesar pasta salad is another one worth getting into.
✳︎ Why You’ll Love This Linguine Pasta Salad
- That dressing means business. Red wine vinegar, lemon, Dijon, garlic, herbs, spices, and Parmesan give it plenty of tangy, savoury flavour without bottled Italian dressing.
- Every forkful has texture. Crisp veggies, juicy tomatoes, tender artichokes, salty olives, and twirlable linguine keep things interesting from start to finish.
- It actually gets better in the fridge. A good chill gives the linguine time to soak up all that zesty flavour, making this a solid make ahead option for BBQs and potlucks.
- Linguine makes it more fun. Breaking the noodles just once keeps that long, twirlable pasta vibe while making the salad much easier to toss, serve, and eat.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll find the full amounts in the recipe card below, but here are a few ingredients worth knowing before you get started:
- Linguine: The long noodles give this pasta salad its signature twirlable texture. I like to break the linguine just once in half before cooking. It’s still unmistakably linguine, but much easier to toss, serve, and actually get onto your fork.
- Artichoke Hearts: Go for artichoke hearts packed in water or brine rather than heavily seasoned marinated ones. Drain them really well and pat them dry if needed. They add a tender, slightly meaty bite without competing with the dressing.
- Fresh Veggies: Cherry tomatoes, English cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onion bring plenty of colour, crunch, and freshness. Dice the cucumber, pepper, and onion fairly small so they catch in those long linguine strands instead of collecting at the bottom of the bowl.
- Parmesan: Finely grated Parmesan adds salty, savoury depth and ties all those Italian-inspired flavours together.
- Homemade Italian Dressing: This is where the linguine salad really comes alive. Red wine vinegar, fresh lemon, Dijon, garlic, oregano, paprika, celery salt, basil, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds make a punchy, tangy dressing that holds its own once everything is chilled.
Find the full ingredient list and exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Tips for the Best Linguine Pasta Salad
- Keep the linguine al dente. Don’t let those noodles get too soft. Al dente linguine has just enough bite to hold up once the dressing goes on, especially since the pasta will soften slightly as it chills and absorbs all that flavour.
- Drain the pasta really well. A quick rinse cools the linguine down and helps stop the noodles from sticking together, but make sure you let all that excess water drain away afterward. Water clinging to the pasta will dilute the dressing, and we definitely don’t want to water down all that zesty goodness.
- Cut the vegetables small. This matters more with long noodles than you might think. Finely diced cucumber, bell pepper, and onion tuck right into the linguine strands, so every forkful gets a little crunch instead of leaving a pile of veggies behind at the bottom of the bowl.
- Save some dressing for serving. Cold pasta loves to soak up dressing while it sits. Reserving some to toss in right before serving brings the linguine salad back to life, making it glossy, tangy, and well coated rather than dry after a few hours in the fridge.
- Give it time to chill. Two hours is the minimum, but around four hours is even better. That gives this cold linguine salad enough time for the dressing to work its way into the noodles and for all those savory, tangy flavours to settle in.
NEW! NEW! NEW!
Summer Salad Series
Check out my new series featuring easy and fun summer salad recipes! You’ll find everything from classic favourites to creative twists to take your salad game to the next level!
Make Ahead and Storage
This pasta salad with linguine is a great one to make ahead since a little fridge time actually works in its favour. Chill it for at least 2 hours, or closer to 4 if you can, so the noodles have time to soak up the dressing and all those tangy, savoury flavours can mingle.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Since the pasta continues to absorb dressing as it sits, give everything a good toss before serving and use some of the reserved dressing to freshen it back up. Serve cold for the best flavour and texture.
What to Serve With Linguine Pasta Salad
This zesty linguine pasta salad is right at home beside anything hot off the grill. Try it with grilled chicken, juicy burgers, or your favourite BBQ mains for an easy summer spread. It’s also a great make ahead side for picnics and potlucks. Need more inspiration? I’ve got plenty of ideas for what to serve with pasta salad to help round out the meal.
Linguine Pasta Salad FAQs
more summer salads to try
Keeping the summer salad streak going? These are the other fresh, flavour packed recipes in the summer salad series that deserve a spot on your table:
- Burrata Caprese Salad. Creamy, juicy, basil-packed summer goodness.
- Pomegranate Feta Salad. Sweet, salty, crisp, and colourful.
- Dill Pickle Chopped Salad. Crunchy, tangy, and pickle-forward.
- Thai Chicken Noodle Salad. Fresh, punchy, and packed with texture.
- Crispy Smashed Potato Salad. Crispy, creamy, smoky, and tangy.
- Arugula Steak Salad. Peppery, hearty, fresh, and satisfying.
Made this recipe? ⭐️ If you tried it, leave a star rating in the recipe card! It helps other home cooks know it’s worth making (and makes my day, too!).
Linguine Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Linguine Pasta Salad
- 1 pound linguine (broken in half)
- 1 cup quartered artichoke hearts packed in water or brine (drained very well and roughly chopped)
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (quartered)
- 1 English cucumber (finely diced)
- 1 red bell pepper (finely diced)
- ½ small red onion (finely diced)
- ⅓ cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
For the Zesty Homemade Italian Dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 large garlic clove (finely grated or minced)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp celery salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine until just al dente according to the package directions. Avoid overcooking it since the pasta will soften slightly as it chills in the dressing.
- While the pasta cooks, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon, honey, garlic, oregano, paprika, celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, kosher salt, and black pepper to a jar. Seal and shake vigorously until well combined. Set aside about 1/3 cup of the dressing to refresh the pasta salad just before serving.
- Drain the linguine and rinse briefly under cold running water until cooled. Let it drain extremely well so excess water doesn’t dilute the dressing.
- Add the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and black olives. Pour in the rest of the dressing, keeping the reserved 1/3 cup aside, and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably around 4 hours, to let the flavours develop.
- Just before serving, add the Parmesan and fresh parsley. Toss well, adding as much of the reserved dressing as needed to loosen and freshen the salad. Add more salt, black pepper, red wine vinegar, or fresh lemon juice to taste. Serve chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
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