How to Make a Refreshing Summer Pasta Salad (When It’s Too Hot to Turn the Oven On!)

Summer is here and it’s officially that time of year when we start searching for recipes that don’t require turning on the oven! Here in Wisconsin, we’ve started the season with a long spell of 90-degree days, so a cold pasta salad like this has been hitting the spot. You do, of course, have to boil the pasta, but that’s better than having the oven on for a long spell, heating up your house even more (no, thank you). Beyond boiling the noodles and chopping some veggies, this summer pasta salad recipe is virtually effortless. Less time in the kitchen, more time at the beach or the pool? Yes, please.

For this Caprese pasta salad, we’re slicing cherry tomatoes and tossing them in cooked, cooled pasta, along with plenty of fresh mozzarella. The dressing is simple: We’re using chopped fresh basil, parsley, and chives, along with some olive oil, white vinegar, salt, and pepper. Shake that all up in a jar and pour it over your pasta salad. Then, finish the whole thing off with some fresh basil leaves and a generous pour of balsamic vinegar. See? Effortless.

Bring this easy dish to a potluck, picnic, or make it for the 4th of July. It’s perfect for almost any summer occasion and especially for eating straight out of the fridge with a fork! So go on and check out the recipe ahead, and happy summer!

Did you try this pasta salad recipe? Show us your culinary skills–and your summer outfits–on Instagram @lulus using #lovelulus and head to our Summer Fashion shop for more sunny-season essentials!