Home > Salads > BEST Pasta Salad Recipe BEST Pasta Salad Recipe March 26, 2024 | 21 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. Pasta Salad made easy! Just grab spiral pasta, any veggies on hand, and drizzle on a zesty two-ingredient Italian dressing. Best Pasta Salad Recipe Growing up, homemade dressings were rare. Our fridge was filled with all kinds of store-bought bottles, with Kraft Zesty Italian being a staple for my mom’s “famous” pasta salad. It was a must-have at every summer barbecue and, honestly, a favorite throughout the winter, too. She’d mix cooked pasta with available veggies—olives, a bell pepper, cucumbers, and plenty of garden-fresh cherry tomatoes—add Italian dressing, and there you have it: a hit every time. Our Favorite Ingredients To Add To Pasta Salad: Zesty Italian Dressing & Recipe Mix: Select good brands for better flavor. Spiral pasta: My mom frequently used tri-colored rotini in this salad which is another great option. Olives: I like black olives best — thinly slice or halve ’em. Bell pepper: Bright and firm for the best possible crunch; use orange or yellow for sweetness. Cucumbers: English cucumbers are my favorite. They have a nice mild flavor, they’re crisp, and they don’t have seeds! Cherry tomatoes: Use ripe for best sweetness. Halve (or quarter) them so they are even throughout the salad. Perfect Pasta Picks and Prep for Pasta Salad The best pasta shapes: Use fusilli, farfalle, rotini, or penne to catch and hold more dressing. I also love small pasta shapes like orzo in pasta salads. Rinsing pasta: Cool pasta quickly and prevent it from clumping together by rinsing pasta in cold water right after draining. Don’t run it under water for too long though or it can turn soggy. How To Make Homemade Pasta Salad Dressing: whisk together the 2-ingredient dressing OR if you prefer, make Italian Dressing from scratch. Veggies: prep the veggies (see my favorite hack for cutting cherry tomatoes quickly below). Pasta: cook pasta, drain, and cool. I like to rinse the pasta under cool water briefly to keep it from sticking. Assemble: combine pasta and veggies, toss with dressing, and enjoy! Tomato-Cutting Hack Use two plates with raised edges. Flip one plate upside down, and add tomatoes into the bottom indent. Cover with the second plate, right side up. Apply light pressure and slice through the tomatoes. Lift the top plate to reveal perfectly halved cherry tomatoes. What To Pair With Pasta Salad Vegetables: Serve with any side of vegetables, like roasted asparagus or broccoli. Sandwiches: So good with grilled, panini-pressed, or fresh sandwiches. Potluck favorites: Pair with classics like my grape salad. Baked Beans: A great side, either homemade or store-bought. Main course: Great with burgers like beef or chicken. Pasta Salad Recipe Tips Customize your salad: Feel free to adjust the veggies to your liking. Not a fan of some? Skip them and add more of what you do like. Add protein: Turn it into a main dish with chickpeas, shredded chicken, salami, or pepperoni. Try different pasta: Experiment with mini shells, mini farfalle, or fusilli. Salt the pasta water: Make flavor better by salting the water well. Taste the finished salad and add more salt if needed. Cook pasta al dente: Avoid soggy pasta salad by cooking the pasta just until al dente. Use the package directions for exact timing. QUICK TIP To check if pasta is al dente, taste it two minutes before the package’s suggested cooking time. It should be soft enough to chew but still slightly firm. If it’s too hard, cook it a bit longer until it’s just right for you. Al dente pasta will have a tiny bit of a lighter color in the middle when you look closely. STORAGE Pasta Salad Storage Pasta salad gets better with time. The flavors deepen as the pasta and veggies marinate in the dressing, just like Potato Salad. To make ahead, prepare ingredients separately and toss them together just before serving. Keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days, but I think it’s tastiest within the first 3 days. Can You Freeze Pasta Salad? Freezing changes the taste and texture; I don’t recommend it for this recipe. Dressing options If you would rather have a homemade dressing, try this popular (reader-favorite) Italian dressing from my Olive Garden Salad recipe. More Easy Salad Recipes: Macaroni Salad with a creamy dressing Summer Couscous Salad with a white balsamic vinaigrette Cowboy Caviar Pasta Salad with a zesty lime dressing Mediterranean Orzo Salad with loads of veggies Pesto Pasta Salad with a pesto-mayo dressing FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Pasta Salad 5 from 13 votes - Review this recipe Pasta Salad made easy! Just grab spiral pasta, any veggies on hand, and drizzle on a zesty 2-ingredient Italian dressing. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Pasta Salad 5 from 13 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Pasta Salad made easy! Just grab spiral pasta, any veggies on hand, and drizzle on a zesty 2-ingredient Italian dressing. Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course, Salad Cuisine American, Vegetarian Keyword Pasta Salad Prep Time 20 minutes minutes Cook Time 7 minutes minutes Total Time 27 minutes minutes Servings 6 -8 as a side Chelsea Lords Calories 513kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $7.53 IngredientsDressing (OR for homemade, use this recipe)▢ 1 bottle (16 oz.) Zesty Italian Dressing▢ 1 package (.7 oz.) dry Italian salad dressing mix (Note 1)Pasta Salad▢ 1 package (16 oz.) rotini pasta (or use tri-colored)▢ 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped▢ 1 cup sliced black olives▢ 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered▢ 1½ cups English or mini cucumber(s), cut into half moons▢ Salt & pepper, to taste▢ Optional: Feta or Parmesan cheese, ½ oz pkt. fresh basil, thinly slicedUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsDRESSING: In a medium-sized bowl, combine "dressing" ingredients. Whisk until combined. Place in the fridge to chill while preparing the rest of the salad.PASTA: Bring a large pot of 12 cups water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add 1 tbsp salt and then pasta. Boil to package directions for "al dente." Drain, rinse under cold water (no longer than 20 seconds), and toss with 2 tablespoons of the prepared Italian dressing. Set aside to fully cool.ASSEMBLE: Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl. Add the prepared veggies. Stir in the dressing to preference (I add it all!) and toss to combine. Top with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese if desired. Season with salt and pepper if needed.STORAGE: Pasta Salad is best enjoyed on the day it is made. For advance prep, store components separately and assemble before serving. Recipe NotesNote 1: Italian dressing: This is the Italian salad dressing mix I recommend. Don't follow package directions to make it; use the directions in this recipe. Nutrition FactsServing: 8servings | Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Sodium: 1148mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1003IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
This pasta salad looks amazing! I love all the goodies in here, they are some of my summer favorites 🙂 Reply
Mhmm this looks delicious, Chelsea! Pasta salad with lots of colors is so quintessentially summer. I live in California so our produce here is out of this world and I can’t wait to head over to my Farmer’s Market to pick up the ingredients! Reply
I was looking for a nice. light and flavorful pasta salad, and this must be it, love all the colors Reply
Wow this salad looks so good – I love any excuse to eat pasta and love that all the veggies in this make it pretty healthy. Pinning. Reply
I loooove a good pasta salad! It is a staple for Summer! I love that you added avocado, such a fun twist on a classic! Reply
Have made this pasta salad for quite a few family events and cookouts. Every time I whip it up, I double it and think it is going to be way too much as a side (the 6-8 servings/recipe estimate is spot on); and every time, all of it somehow disappears. This has become my (and my mom’s) go-to summer side. We usually have it with grilled marinaded chicken or even salmon and it complements the meats wonderfully. Thanks for a great staple recipe! Reply