Bruschetta Pasta Salad

Looking for a quick and easy side dish for all your summer parties? This Bruschetta Pasta Salad transforms the classic flavors of bruschetta—ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, a hint of balsamic, and more—into a delicious pasta dish that’s ideal for any gathering!

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
• 🗒 Ingredients
• 🍅 How to make a bruschetta pasta salad
• ⏲️ How to store
• 🎉 Variations on recipe
• 🥗 More summer salad recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Bruschetta is one of my favorite party appetizers. The classic bruschetta is made with simple ingredients, but it can easily be customized however you like it.

I love bruschetta so much that I decided to turn it into a side dish, as well! Pasta salad is one of my go-to summer party dishes as it's easy to make and well-loved. And this one takes the classic flavors of bruschetta and replaces the crusty bread with al dente pasta.

Of course, it feels like a summery pasta dish, but you can really enjoy this bruschetta pasta salad all year round!

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

I like my summer gatherings to be low-key and fairly effortless on the part of the host. No matter how involved the entree is, it's necessary to have some easy side dishes. Enter pasta salad.

But the typical pasta salads can get boring as the summer goes on, so it's always fun to have some twists in your recipe arsenal.

This one takes classic flavors and easy ingredients and lets you customize it any way you want.

Traditional bruschetta consists of crusty bread topped with chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. But, of course, you can make any additions you want.

I use all those ingredients in my bruschetta pasta salad, but also add in some red onion, mozzarella pearls, and grated parmesan cheese for extra flavor impact. All of these ingredients complement classic bruschetta ingredients so well.

This is also a good lighter pasta dish option for anyone who doesn't like mayo or other heavy ingredients. This one is tossed with olive oil and balsamic and perfect for a hot summer day.

Not only is this pasta salad great for when you're hosting a get-together, it's also a super easy dish to make to take with you to all your summer gatherings.

🗒 Ingredients

Just like traditional bruschetta, the ingredients in this bruschetta pasta salad are quite simple. Here's everything I use (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):

• Medium shells: or the pasta of your choice
• Grape or cherry tomatoes
• Mozzarella pearls: or sliced ciliegine or bocconcini
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Red onion
• Basil
• Garlic
• Salt & pepper
• Red pepper flakes: optional
• Extra-virgin olive oil: I recommend a high-quality oil
• Balsamic vinegar

And remember, you can add anything you want to this salad or make any substitutions you desire. I have some ideas for you later in this post!

🍅 How to make a bruschetta pasta salad

Like most pasta salads, this one is super easy!

It can also be made in advance as the flavors only get more delicious as the pasta sits in the fridge.

Start by cooking your pasta. It's best if you cook it to al dente!

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions to al dente.

Drain it and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down.

Put the cooled pasta in a large bowl.

Add sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, parmesan, diced onion, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Add in extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I recommend using a good high-quality olive oil.

Toss to combine all the ingredients together.

Isn't it such a pretty pasta salad? With the most minimal effort ever!

I love all the ingredients in this bruschetta pasta salad so much and especially love that they are allowed to shine without the addition of a heavy mayo or other salad dressing.

⏲️ How to store

Like I mentioned, the flavors of this dish only get better as they're allowed to sit and marinate together. So, bruschetta pasta salad leftovers will always be welcome!

You can make this salad ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to serve it.

That's also how you should store any leftovers. The salad should keep fresh for 3-5 days when stored properly.

🎉 Variations on recipe

This is my ideal bruschetta pasta salad recipe based off classic bruschetta, but you can add anything you want to it and make any changes you want to it.

I mean, you can make bruschetta with any ingredients you want... I've even made a brunch bruschetta before!

Here are some fun ideas for your salad:

• Use any shape pasta you want. Bowtie, orecchiette, penne and even rotini would be delicious.
• To make this bruschetta pasta salad more of a meal, add some protein to it. Grilled chicken, salmon, steak, or shrimp would all be perfect. Salami would also add a nice touch.
• For more nutrition, mix in baby spinach or massaged kale.
• Add additional vegetables of your choice, like cucumbers or red peppers.
• Add olives or capers for extra umami.
• Top the pasta salad in toasted panko for the crispy effect of bruschetta.
• Add the cheese of your choice, like pasta or even cheddar cubes.
• Add pesto for extra flavor.
• If you prefer a mayo-based pasta salad, you can certainly toss the pasta salad on mayonnaise before serving.

There's so much you can do to make this light pasta salad your own and customize it to the tastes of your family or your guests.

I hope this becomes a summer party staple for you, but you also may find yourself wanting to make it year-round.

You can't go wrong with fresh tomatoes and basil in the summer and I just cannot get enough of them.

I hope this bruschetta and pasta salad mashup becomes a party staple in your home!

What are your favorite seasonal ingredients to include in summer salads?

📖 Recipe