Go Back
–+ servings
A person holds a round dish filled with healthy fusilli pasta salad, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, basil leaves, and yellow flower-shaped bites, on a gray surface with grape tomatoes and a striped towel nearby.
Print Recipe

Bacon Pasta Salad

Family-friendly pasta salad with bacon, tomatoes, red onions, and mini mozzarella balls topped with a sweet n'sour olive oil dressing.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: cold dinners, easy dinners, family meals
Servings: 4 people

Equipment

Ingredients

Pasta salad

  • 250 grams cooked pasta fusilli or penne
  • 200 grams tomatoes San Marzano
  • 150 grams bocconcini halved
  • 240 grams bacon or pancetta
  • 1/2 red onion

Dressing

  • 8 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • black pepper

To serve

  • 2 mini yellow peppers
  • 1 teaspoon capers to garnish

Instructions

  • Fry the bacon in a dry medium-hot pan until golden and browned.
  • Leave the bacon to cool slightly in the pan.
  • Place the cooked pasta on a platter.
  • Top with chopped tomatoes, mozzarella balls, bacon, and red onion.
  • Mix the olive oil, white wine vinegar, maple syrup, dijon, garlic, chopped basil, sea salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl.
  • Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix well.
  • Sprinkle with whole or chopped basil leaves.
  • Halve the mini peppers.
  • Use the cookie cutter to make the yellow pepper flowers.
  • Spread the flowers on top of the salad.
  • Add capers in the center of the flowers.
  • Serve.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 726kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 1040mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 442IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2mg