Mediterranean Pasta Salad
A fuss-free Italian seafood built around mozzarella balls, baby plum tomatoes and fresh basil — roughly 65 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 8 steps.
You'll mainly reach for saucepan and pan. At medium difficulty across 8 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's pescatarian — fish but no meat.
What you'll need
Shopping list (6)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil
- Add the pasta, stir once and cook for about 10 minutes or as directed on the packet.
- Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes and cut into quarters. Slice the olives. Wash the basil.
- Put the tomatoes into a salad bowl and tear the basil leaves over them. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and mix.
- When the pasta is ready, drain into a colander and run cold water over it to cool it quickly.
- Toss the pasta into the salad bowl with the tomatoes and basil.
- Add the sliced olives, drained mozzarella balls, and chunks of tuna. Mix well and let the salad rest for at least half an hour to allow the flavours to mingle.
- Sprinkle the pasta with a generous grind of black pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil just before serving.
You'll use: Saucepan · Pan
Watch how it's made
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What to serve with Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- Spaghetti Bolognese Beef
- Spicy Arrabiata Penne Vegetarian
- Vegan Lasagna Vegan
- Potato Gratin with Chicken Chicken
Tips & common questions
How long does Mediterranean Pasta Salad take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 8 steps and 9 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Recipe data for Mediterranean Pasta Salad via TheMealDB (open database). ▶ Video. Original source. Consomee adds the scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.