Making a salad doesn’t have to involve leafy greens all the time. Sometimes you need a hearty salad meal that can hold you throughout the day.
This colorful Quick and Easy Pasta Salad is just that. It is not only very colorful and appealing to the eyes, but also tangy, delicious, and satisfying!
Ingredients For Quick & Easy Pasta Salad:
You will need the following ingredients to make this delightfully fresh salad
- Tri-colored spiral pasta looks pretty and adds a ton of color to the salad. You can use any short pasta shape of your choice if you don’t have tri-colored spirals.
- Salad seasoning mix has the right amount of herbs and spices to upgrade any store-bought dressing.
- Your favorite Italian dressing. Having a great base to work on produces the best final result. Your dressing will be semi-homemade.
- Red onion, finely chopped so you won’t find large overpowering pieces in any bite.
- Uncooked broccoli florets chopped into smaller-than-bite-size pieces. This way you can have a bit of everything in every bite.
- Multicolored cherry tomatoes can add a splash of color to the salad, but if you only have red cherry tomatoes, use them. The pasta is already colorful.
- Red and yellow bell peppers have that special fresh bite that provides tons of flavor as well as color. Use the ones you have on hand. Yellow, green, red, or orange, they all work!
- Black olives are a classic addition to any Italian-based salad, but by all means add the ones you have on hand. Green, black, or Kalamata!
- Salt for boiling the pasta. Add a healthy pinch to the pasta cooking water.
How Do I Make A Delicious Pasta Salad?
- In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Do not overcook the pasta. Drain, rinse with cold water, and reserve.
- In the bowl where you plan to serve the salad, combine the salad seasoning mix and the Italian dressing.
- Toss in the cooked pasta until fully covered with the dressing mix
Mix in the chopped veggies, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for two hours before serving. Serve cold.
What Kind Of Pasta Should I Use To Make A Pasta Salad?
Don’t use any long pasta like spaghetti or fettuccine, use short pasta.
You can use penne, spirals, elbow pasta, fusilli, rotini, or cavatappi. I personally like the twisted ones because the dressing sticks to the curves.
Pro Tips For Making The Best Pasta Salad:
- Letting the pasta and veggies sit in the dressing for a while makes this salad taste better, so this is a great recipe to make ahead!
- Cut your veggies into slightly smaller than bite-sized pieces so you can enjoy a taste of everything in each forkful.
- Do not overcook the pasta. Cook it until al dente so it holds its shape when it cools and it doesn’t get mushy once you add the dressing.
- To prevent the pasta from sticking, drain it and rinse it with cold water. Shake off the excess water!
- Save some extra dressing and mix it in prior to serving to “refresh” the salad.
Recipe Variations:
- To make this salad a complete meal, try adding chopped salami, grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas if you’re vegetarian.
- Adding more ingredients like pepperoncini, green olives, or artichoke hearts gives the salad extra tang. Try adding a splash of the brine these ingredients come with to the dressing!
- Halved mozzarella balls or a sprinkling of feta cheese can add creaminess to this Pasta Salad.
- Make your own Italian dressing by combining 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1 tsp each garlic powder, oregano, basil, 1/2 tsp each onion powder, red pepper flakes, 3/4 tsp salt, 2 tsp lemon juice, and black pepper to taste.
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions:
You can store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
It is not recommended to freeze pasta salad. The texture of fresh tomatoes and pasta with dressing will not be great once thawed.
Pasta Salad is perfect for making ahead, because pasta absorbs dressing, so it tastes better when made a few hours in advance.
Serving Suggestions:
This Quick & Easy Pasta Salad is the perfect summertime side dish for all your barbecued entrees like grilled chicken, steak, or shrimp.
Its make-ahead capabilities make it the perfect picnic meal to serve alongside sandwiches, chopped fruit, or charcuterie board.
Need more ideas? Check out these recipes:
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Avocado Egg Salad Recipe
- Easy Chicken Pasta Salad
- Quick & Fresh Avocado Corn Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Did you make this recipe for your last get-together? Let us know how your guests liked it in the comments below!
Quick and Easy Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 oz package tri-colored spiral pasta
- 1-1 oz package salad seasoning mix
- 1-16 oz bottle Italian-style salad dressing
- ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 cups multi-colored cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 red bell pepper, small diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, small diced
- 1-2.25 oz can black olives, sliced
Instructions
- In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente (usually 8-10 mins). Do not overcook the pasta. Drain, rinse with cold water, and reserve.
- In the bowl where you plan to serve the salad, combine the salad seasoning mix and the Italian dressing.
- Toss in the cooked pasta until fully covered with the dressing mix
- Mix in the chopped veggies, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving. Serve cold.