Italian Pasta Salad with Prosciutto, Bacon, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella
Cherry tomatoes are one of those ingredients I buy whenever they look especially good. They are sweet, bright, easy to use, and they can carry a simple pasta salad without needing much fuss around them.
This Italian pasta salad brings them together with tender pasta shells, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, crisp bacon, basil, Italian dressing, and a little red pepper flakes. The shells are especially good here because they catch small pieces of bacon, tomato, mozzarella, and dressing inside their curves.
The combination has the feel of an antipasto platter worked into a pasta salad. The tomatoes add sweetness and acidity, the mozzarella brings a mild creaminess, the prosciutto adds salt, and the bacon gives the whole bowl a smoky, savory edge.
Yes, it has bacon and prosciutto. I stand by that decision.
I sometimes use mozzarella and prosciutto roll-ups from the deli and slice them crosswise into small rounds. They are convenient, they look pretty in the bowl, and they give you both ingredients in the same bite. Fresh mozzarella pearls and torn prosciutto work just as well.
This is a good recipe to make ahead when you want something ready in the refrigerator for lunch, a family supper, a cookout, or a potluck. It holds well, travels easily when kept chilled, and can be adjusted depending on how many people you are feeding.
Use the best cherry tomatoes you can find. A mixture of red, yellow, and orange tomatoes makes the salad especially pretty and gives the bowl a little more variation in flavor.
The dressing can be homemade, made from an Italian salad seasoning packet, or prepared from a favorite bottled dressing. I like to mix my own in a salad dressing jar with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, herbs, Dijon mustard, and seasoning, then shake it until everything is well combined.
For the vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, Champagne vinegar, and tarragon vinegar all work well. White wine vinegar is crisp and versatile, red wine vinegar gives the dressing a deeper flavor, Champagne vinegar is a little softer, and tarragon vinegar adds an herbal note that works nicely with the basil and tomatoes.
The amount of dressing is flexible and really comes down to taste. Pasta absorbs dressing as it rests, so a bowl that seems well dressed at first may need another generous splash before serving. Start with the suggested amount, refrigerate the salad, then taste it again before it goes to the table.
The same goes for salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Taste as you go and adjust until the salad is where you want it.
Tear the basil by hand or slice it into thin ribbons just before serving. Reserving some for the top keeps the finished salad looking fresh and gives you that extra hit of basil right at the end.
Serve the pasta salad cold or slightly cool, with extra tomatoes, basil, and a few slices of mozzarella and prosciutto roll-ups over the top if you are using them.
Until next time, thank you for spending a little time with me. I hope you'll find a recipe to make, a story to enjoy, and maybe learn something new along the way. ♥️
Italian Pasta Salad with Prosciutto, Bacon, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients
12 ounces medium pasta shells
1 pint farm-fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls, drained
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces
6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced
¾ to 1 cup homemade Italian dressing, prepared Italian dressing, or dressing made from an Italian salad seasoning packet, plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook according to the package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and rinse briefly under cool water to stop the cooking. Shake away as much excess water as possible.
- Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add about ½ cup of the Italian dressing and toss while the pasta is still slightly warm.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, prosciutto, bacon, red pepper flakes, and half of the basil.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss gently until the ingredients are evenly distributed, taking care not to crush the tomatoes or mozzarella.
- Add the remaining Italian dressing and toss again. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until chilled.
- Before serving, stir the pasta salad and taste for seasoning. Add more Italian dressing, salt, black pepper, or red pepper flakes as desired.
- Scatter the remaining basil over the top and serve cold or slightly cool
Homemade Italian Dressing
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, Champagne vinegar, or tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
½ teaspoon sugar or honey, optional, to balance the vinegar
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a salad dressing mixing jar or a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until the dressing is well combined.
- Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, vinegar, or sweetness as needed. Shake again just before adding it to the pasta salad.
Notes
- For the dressing: Homemade Italian dressing is especially good in this pasta salad and can be mixed directly in a salad dressing jar. White wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, Champagne vinegar, and
- tarragon vinegar all work beautifully. Each one brings a slightly different flavor, so use the vinegar you enjoy most. You may also prepare an Italian salad dressing seasoning packet with oil, water,
- and vinegar according to the package directions. Begin with about ¾ cup of the prepared dressing, then add more to taste. Pasta absorbs dressing as it chills, so the salad may need another
- generous splash before serving.
- For the mozzarella and prosciutto: As another option, use prepared mozzarella and prosciutto roll-ups from the deli. Slice them crosswise into bite-size rounds before adding them to the pasta
- salad. They give you both ingredients in each bite and create the pretty rolled pieces shown in the photograph.
- For the tomatoes: A mixture of red, yellow, and orange cherry tomatoes makes the salad especially colorful.
- For making ahead: The pasta salad may be prepared up to one day in advance. Reserve part of the bacon and basil to add shortly before serving so they retain their texture and color.
about the AUTHOr
Stasia Boschetti is an American culinary writer and the founder of American Country Living. With more than thirty years of experience in the kitchen, a background in catering, extensive travel, and a strong knowledge of regional food traditions, she writes about the recipes, histories, and customs that have shaped the way America cooks. She lives in the United States with her husband, family, and rescue animals.
