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Home » Recipes » Pasta ,Pizza, Gnocchi

Lemon Basil Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Published: Jun 19, 2020 · Modified: Oct 15, 2024 by Marisa Franca

Jump to Recipe
Striped Farfalle Pasta in a salad with basil, olives, and Italian meats

Lemon Basil Bow Tie Pasta Salad includes everything you desire in an Italian pasta salad. This irresistible Italian farfalle pasta dish has striped lemon-yellow and basil-green pasta. A light Italian vinaigrette dresses the colorful pasta, summer vegetables, and fresh mozzarella cheese. We added our favorite antipasto ingredients, start with ours or add your own. See if this salad isn't the first dish to go at your gathering.

Italian Pasta Salad with striped yellow and green pasta in a glass bowl with tomatoes, black olives, peperoncini.
Bow Tie Pasta salad is the ideal summer pasta salad with it's cheery stripes and adorable shape.
Jump to:
  • Making the Bow Tie Pasta Selection
  • Lemon Basil Bow Tie Pasta Salad - Vegetable, Meat Selection
  • Putting it together
  • Lemon Basil Farfalle Salad An Italian Pasta Dish Celebrating Summer
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Making the Bow Tie Pasta Selection

The minute I spotted the striped farfalle pasta at Aldi's, I knew that those bow ties were meant for our family party.

In life, I believe there's everyday pasta, and then there's pasta that's meant for a special occasion.

Our family fish fry definitely rated as that occasion. We were going to celebrate our daughter Michelle's birthday.

Lemon Basil Farfalle Salad for a Family birthday gathering.

Daughter Michelle and husband Dave.

And we were also going to celebrate our son Jason's birthday, who was going to be on military duty in Asia.

My birthday got stuck in there too, but we won't mention it!!!!!

Jason's mountain climb at Shuksan .

Our son, Jason's, mountain climb at Shuksan

Now, I have to confess; the annual family fish fry didn't include fish. It ended up a family pulled pork and fried chicken tenders picnic with some terrific buns.

And the reason for the change of plans? Because we had no fish to fry.

Last winter fishing in Florida was terrible. And to make matters worse, in May, Honey had the same luck at Saint Simons Island.

We heard no complaints about the substitution!

So, when we found the farfalle pasta in lemon, yellow, and red stripes, we knew that the pulled pork and chicken had a colorful side in the Italian bow tie pasta salad.

Yellow striped lemon farfalle pasta package.

Striped Farfalle make the Italian pasta salad colorful.

Lemon Basil Bow Tie Pasta Salad - Vegetable, Meat Selection

Veggie selection for the Italian pasta salad was easy. It had to have an Italian flavor, and it had to be colorful.

Vegetable preferences.

  • Grape tomatoes are a must in our pasta salads. We prefer them to any other tomato. They're sweet, colorful, and they don't release a lot of juice.
  • Purple onions are mild, and they give the salad color and taste.
  • Peperoncini, which we all love, give the dish a nice briny heat.
  • Salty Kalamata olives are a must for our pasta salad.

Meat and cheese preferences

  • Somewhere there must be an unwritten law that cheese has to be in an antipasto salad. This time, we picked fresh mozzarella cheese to include iin the salad.
  • And as far as meat goes, what could be more Italian than Genoa hard salami? YUM! It tastes amazing as an antipasto and in a salad.
Genoa Province, Liguria, Italy, Italian Riviera, people on the beach.

Genoa Province, Liguria, the Italian Riviera

Putting it together

The instructions for the Italian bow tie pasta salad are so simple I'm almost embarrassed to include them but just in case there is a newcomer I'll add them:

  • Make the pasta according to package directions. Make sure that it's al dente (to the tooth) and add a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
  • Halve the grape tomatoes.
  • Slice the Kalamata olives.
  • Slice the Purple onion.
  • Cube the fresh mozzarella cheese.
  • Slice the Genoa salami into short slices.
  • Drain the peperoncini.
  • Favorite Italian salad dressing (we used Gerard's Old Venice Italian) or plain olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.
  • Fresh basil sliced into thin ribbons.
  • Lots of freshly ground pepper.

That's it. Put the antipasto bow tie pasta salad all together and let it sit in the fridge at least for several hours or overnight.

Lemon Basil Farfalle Salad in a glass bowl. A combination of striped bow pasta, grape tomatoes, hot peppers, black olives, mozzarella cubes

A delicious Italian pasta salad mixed with antipasto tray goodies.

The Lemon Basil Farfalle Salad is a great Italian antipasto pasta salad for family gatherings or picnics. It travels well, and it tastes fantastic.

A yellow picnic plate holding pasta salad, corn, fried chicken, and a pulled pork sandwich.

Our delicious birthday party celebration!

This year for the birthday cake I made Ambrosia Coconut Cake. A three layer cake with a creamy pineapple coconut filling that's to die for. The cake is frosted with Vanilla Buttercream. It's the type of cake that wipes the word diet or counting calories right out of your mind!!

Tutti a tavola è pronto!

Un caro saluto e alla prossima.

YOU MAY NEED...

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A glass salad bowl like this is just what you want to serve a beautiful salad in. We have one just like it and use it often. Throughout the years we've even served desserts and fruit salads in it.

Lemon Basil Farfalle Salad an Italian pasta Salad celebrating summer.

Lemon Basil Farfalle Salad An Italian Pasta Dish Celebrating Summer

This is not your ordinary Italian bow tie pasta salad. This antipasto salad will be a star at your next gathering or potluck. And believe me, there will be friends and family who'll go back for seconds.

If you like this recipe, please consider giving it a 5-star rating.

📖 Recipe

Lemon Basil Farfalle Salad an Italian Pasta Salad celebrating summer tastes.

Lemon Bow Tie Salad An Italian Farfalle Pasta Dish Celebrating Summer

Lemon and Basil Farfalle Salad combines striped bow ties with grape tomatoes, genoa salami, fresh mozzarella, peperoncini, and a light vinaigrette. It is an ideal dish for gatherings because it can be made ahead a stores well.
5 from 14 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: pasta dish, pasta salad, picnic food, side
Cuisine: Italian American
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 2 hours hours 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 241kcal
Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. farfalle pasta bow ties or pasta of choice, cooked according to directions.
  • 8 oz. grape tomatoes halved.
  • ½ purple onion sliced
  • ½ cup sliced Kalamata olives.
  • ½ cup sliced Genoa Salami
  • 1 cup cubed fresh mozzarella cheese.
  • 1 small jar peperoncini drained
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1 bottle favorite Italian white vinaigrette or make your own.
  • 10 fresh basil leaves sliced into ribbons chiffonade.
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Made the pasta according to directions. Make sure not to overcook. Drain and put the pasta in a large bowl. Add a bit of the dressing to prevent sticking. The pasta will absorb more liquid as it's in the refrigerator.
  • Layer the ingredients one on top of each other. When all of the ingredients are in the bowl pour more dressing on top and mix well. Grind some pepper over the salad. Sprinkle the basil ribbons over the ingredients. Mix again. It's better to add a little at a time and check the amount before serving. You don't want the salad overloaded with dressing.
  • Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.
  • When ready to serve, check to see if it has enough dressing. Add more to your taste.
  • Garnish with basil.

Notes

This is a very forgiving recipe. Add as much or as little as you like. Take your favorite ingredients and include them.

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 307mg | Potassium: 192mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 310IU | Vitamin C: 4.4mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 0.8mg

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    First Published: August 19,2017... Last Updated: June 19, 2020

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    665 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jennifer Mann

      August 11, 2019 at 8:44 am

      there is no lemon in the recipe. why is it lemon basil?

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 11, 2019 at 9:07 am

        Hi Jennifer! The reason it is lemon basil is because we used Lemon Farfalle pasta and Basil Farfalle pasta. Both pastas were excellent. xoxo

        Reply
    2. Susie

      June 30, 2019 at 3:49 pm

      5 stars
      I was planning on making a pasta salad for July 4th. Thanks, to you.....I now have my pasta salad recipe....Can’t wait to make it! I also love pictures of the kids.....so good????. Hi and love to all❤️

      Reply
    3. Danyelle Whitley

      April 04, 2019 at 11:41 am

      5 stars
      When looking at the photo it looked hard to make but after reading your instructions, I'm going to add this to my cooking schedule with my kids. Who doesn't love pasta? But adding the olives and tomatoes, it will help my kids see the different flavors of ingredients make the pasta not the main component. We will be trying this out this week!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        April 05, 2019 at 1:36 pm

        Hello, Danyelle! I'm sure you and your kids will enjoy making the pasta. All of my kids love to cook - boys and girl. Have a great weekend.

        Reply
    4. Lois Christensen

      March 30, 2019 at 10:15 pm

      5 stars
      I have never seen pasta like this! How fun would this be for a party! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    5. Arlene Mobley

      March 28, 2019 at 11:21 am

      5 stars
      The salad looks amazing. I have never seen lemon bow tie pasta before. I will have to keep my eye out for it.
      Have you ever had Lemon Basil? If you ever plant a herb garden you have to grow some lemon basil. It is amazing. One of my favorite basils.

      Reply
    6. Gloria | Homemade & Yummy

      March 27, 2019 at 3:57 pm

      5 stars
      Sounds like a GREAT pasta salad. Perfect as a side...to all the BBQ's this summer. Great as a stand alone for a meal. I am so looking forward to the warm sunny weather. I am going to attempt to have a herb garden. Basil will be one of the things I will be growing for sure.

      Reply
    7. Veena Azmanov

      March 27, 2019 at 3:23 pm

      5 stars
      A Bowl full of goodness and health. Cant wait to grab this amazing Bowl of Salad. Tempting and colorful too.

      Reply
    8. Jolina

      March 27, 2019 at 2:50 pm

      5 stars
      This pasta is definitely a party pasta if I ever saw one 🙂 And the salad looks so bright and vibrant! What a perfect way to welcome the warmer weather. PS: It was really nice that you shared pictures of your family. Hope everyone is doing well!

      Reply
    9. Lori Hill

      July 12, 2018 at 9:02 am

      What a delicious pasta salad! Sounds like your family gathering was very nice too! Thank you for sharing at #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty

      Reply
    10. Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

      July 01, 2018 at 8:35 am

      'Hopping over from the Blogging Grandmothers Party. Any time I've tried your recipes, they've become a family favorite. I bet this one does, too. We love all those ingredients, but have never combined them quite like that. 😉 Thank you for sharing the love from your kitchen! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

      Reply
    11. Marie Renello

      June 18, 2018 at 11:05 pm

      What a good looking family you have Marisa, and of course your food always looks so appealing.

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        June 28, 2018 at 6:39 am

        Hi, Marie! Thank you for your sweet comment. Your recipes are always so inspiring.!!

        Reply
    12. annie@ciaochowbambina

      August 28, 2017 at 9:26 am

      We're both channeling the lemon these days! I love how pretty this pasta is - dresses up any dish! I love seeing the photos of your beautiful family!

      Reply
    13. Nikki Gwin

      August 25, 2017 at 4:40 pm

      Hi Marisa. I am visiting from the Blogging Grandmother Series and I am drooling just looking at all your food pictures! When we eat out, my favorite place to go is Italian.
      It is a pleasure to meet you and hope to see you around.
      🙂 gwingal

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 26, 2017 at 7:13 am

        Hi, Nikki! It's a pleasure to meet you too. Thank you for taking a look at our blog and your sweet comment about the photos. We do love to cook and needless to say we love to eat. ???? I can't wait to read about you at Blogging Grandmothers. Have a wonderful weekend. ????

        Reply
    14. Christie Hawkes

      August 24, 2017 at 9:50 am

      This salad looks divine and striped pasta--what fun! I've never seen anything like it. I found your blog through your Grammy's Grid interview. So glad I did!

      ~Christie

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 26, 2017 at 7:15 am

        Hi, Christie! I'm glad you found me too. Isn't Dee the sweetest person? The salad was fun to make with the striped pasta -- and a plus was it was good too. Have a great weekend. xoxo

        Reply
    15. Ciao Chow Linda

      August 23, 2017 at 5:14 pm

      I must confess I'm not a fan of pasta salads, but yours, with those adorable and colorful bow ties, seems irresistible. I loved seeing your beautiful children too - and God bless your son in his military duty.

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 26, 2017 at 7:18 am

        Thank you, Linda! We are proud of our children and we are counting the hours until Jason is back home. Un abbraccio forte!

        Reply
    16. Catherine

      August 22, 2017 at 8:26 pm

      The Riviera is gorgeous! I love the striped farfalle...what a delicious salad, Marisa!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 26, 2017 at 7:19 am

        Thank you, Catherine. It's always great to have fun looking food that tastes good too. I'm dreaming of escaping there -- what a view.

        Reply
    17. Noel Lizotte

      August 22, 2017 at 8:23 pm

      5 stars
      Well, who needs fish for a fish fry, anyway? As long as you've got side dishes like this, I'm pretty sure nobody noticed the missing fish!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 26, 2017 at 7:20 am

        You're right, Noel. Nobody complained about no fish. That's okay, this fall Hubby can try again for the fish.

        Reply
    18. Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh

      August 22, 2017 at 12:31 pm

      We do fish fries all the time! We are lucky that we live in Florida near the gulf coast so we have fresh fish available year round. However, sometimes you go out and come back with nothing. Anyways. This pasta salad sounds so good, and it does sound like y'all ended up eating good anyway!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 26, 2017 at 7:22 am

        Hi, Joanna! Well, we were on the Gulf Coast for 3 months this winter and that's exactly what we got -- not a heck of a lot. We had to end up buying our fish. Did the Red Tide affect your part of the coast? Have a wonderful weekend.xoxo

        Reply
    19. Veena Azmanov

      August 22, 2017 at 10:05 am

      5 stars
      Oh I don't usually make lemon pasta.. but it sounds so refreshing .I love the flavors you have going here. Sounds so delish. My kids love the bow tie pasta. !

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 26, 2017 at 7:23 am

        Hi, Veena! It did make for a fun dish -- very colorful and flavorful. Have a great weekend. ????

        Reply
    20. Veronika

      August 22, 2017 at 9:25 am

      I love the combination of flavors you have here. Perfect idea for lunch)

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 22, 2017 at 9:39 am

        Thank you, Veronika! It would make a great lunch.

        Reply
    21. Adriana Lopez Martin

      August 22, 2017 at 1:52 am

      5 stars
      wow the lemon bow tie pasta is so cute I want to buy some for cooking this at home. Love the combinations sounds super fresh and tasty

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 22, 2017 at 9:39 am

        Hi, Adriana! If you have an Aldi's down your way, check them out. That's where I got the imported pasta.

        Reply
    22. Pam Wattenbarger

      August 21, 2017 at 5:09 pm

      I love pasta salads. It's always nice to find new recipes for it! This lemon basil farfalle salad is definitely on my to-try list.

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 22, 2017 at 9:38 am

        Hi, Pam! We love it too. So good and I thought the striped pasta was festive.

        Reply
    23. Julia

      August 21, 2017 at 2:46 pm

      5 stars
      Haha - love your law about cheese and pasta salad! And I agree with you! The flavours are scrumptious - olives, mozzarella - Delicious!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 22, 2017 at 9:37 am

        I know -- the cheese is an absolute MUST!!????

        Reply
    24. Chiara

      August 21, 2017 at 12:28 pm

      un delizioso piatto di pasta è sempre ben accetto e se condito così ancor di più! (ho scritto in italiano questa volta), un caro abbraccio !

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 21, 2017 at 12:34 pm

        Ciao, Chiara! Grazie mille. Mi piace tantissimo quando scrivi in italiano. Può leggere meglio che può scrivere. Un abbraccio forte!

        Reply
    25. Susie

      August 21, 2017 at 9:22 am

      5 stars
      Don't you love when you find something totally out of the norm, like the lemon pasta? The salad sounds so fresh and tasty! Another yummy recipe to try for my family........Enjoyed pictures of the kids???? Tell everyone we said hi and send our love. JASON is in our prayers for a quick return home.

      Thanks, Marisa

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 21, 2017 at 12:36 pm

        Hi, Susie!! I certainly was surprised Aldi had such a great imported pasta -- it's just the type we like to buy. I'll be sure and give your love to all the kids. We can't wait until Jason is back!!! Love and hugs to you and your clan.

        Reply
    26. Parsimonious Décor Darling

      August 20, 2017 at 9:43 am

      It sounds as though we both have Italia in mind this Summer. The salad looks absolute delish! I am visiting you from Sundays at Home with Jennifer Carroll.

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 20, 2017 at 9:50 am

        Ciao!! Yes, indeed! Italia is always on my mind. Thank you for visiting and commenting! Jennifer Carroll is terrific, isn't she?!

        Reply
    27. Jovina Coughlin

      August 19, 2017 at 6:16 pm

      What a delicious pasta salad with so many wonderful ingredients. It just says summer when you look at it.
      Lovely photos Marissa.

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca

        August 19, 2017 at 6:44 pm

        Thank you, Jovina! It really was a great find at Aldi. I couldn't believe it. When we went back for more it was all gone! I would have bought more and saved. Hope you're having a good weekend.

        Reply
    5 from 14 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    I’m Marisa Franca, a home chef, food writer, and photographer who believes that you can make gourmet quality food at home with simple seasonal ingredients. I’m passionate about family, food, friends, everything Italian, and happy endings.

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