My favorite pasta salad is ready in under 20 minutes. Better yet, it actually gets better over time, making this a perfect make-ahead salad for cookouts, picnics, and summer gatherings. In the time it takes you to cook the pasta, you can prep everything you need for the salad. I love the vinaigrette-style dressing so much! It’s perfectly peppy, zesty, and so simple! There’s no mayo, but if you want a creamy pasta salad, I’ve got you covered with this macaroni salad.
Key Ingredients
This pasta salad recipe is our ultimate potluck salad with all the ingredients we love. If something doesn’t spark your interest, leave it out. It’s your pasta salad, after all.
Pasta: The best pasta for pasta salad is hearty pasta shapes like penne, fusilli, rotini, and farfalle (bow tie). These have the advantage of lots of nooks and crannies, which trap the dressing and bits of cheese. I also love orzo, which we use for this lemon orzo pasta salad, or pearl couscous, which I use to make our easy couscous salad. Veggies: A variety of vegetables add color, flavor, and crunch to the pasta salad. I love cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini (trust me), and green onions (which are not as strong as regular onion). Cheese: I love fresh mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Since the parmesan is shredded, it almost melts into the dressing (just like when we make homemade Italian dressing). For a vegan pasta salad, leave the cheese out. Olives: I love the briny bite from olives. Use Kalamata or green olives. Pepperoncini peppers: I love them in this salad! I also add a little brine from the jar to my dressing (try it, it’s so good). Fresh herbs: I love basil and parsley. Experiment for yourself to see what you love.
How to Make the Best Pasta Salad
To make the pasta salad, you’ll start by cooking your pasta. When it’s cooked, drain it, and then rinse the cooked pasta under cold water. Rinsing is very important since it removes any starches left on the outside of the pasta. We do the same when making creamy pasta salad. You’ll make the salad in a big bowl. Start by making your dressing, then toss in the pasta, veggies, and any other add-ins you love. For me that’s mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, olives, pepperoncini peppers, and herbs. Toss everything really well, and then place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so all the flavors can meld together (the salad tastes so much better this way). Pasta salad gets better over time. Letting the pasta and veggies sit in the dressing for a while makes a huge difference in flavor. We take the same approach when making our favorite potato salad.
The Best Pasta Salad Dressing
This pasta salad dressing is simple and delicious, with just a few key ingredients (we use a similar dressing for our easy bean salad). Simply whisk together red wine vinegar, olive oil, and dried oregano to make it. If you’re adding pepperoncini peppers to your salad, I highly recommend adding a splash of their brine to the dressing. It adds an extra tangy kick. I love adding the brine so much that I do the same in our Greek pasta salad dressing, which also calls for feta brine.
What to Serve with Pasta Salad
I make this pasta salad so often that it’s become my go-to side dish for almost any occasion. It’s a summer party staple, perfect alongside juicy burgers, turkey burgers, slow cooker pulled pork, or baked ribs. Pair it with one of our other refreshing salads like no-mayo potato salad, creamy coleslaw, or my favorite watermelon salad. But it’s not just for cookouts! This easy pasta salad also works as a side for lunch or dinner. I love it with sandwiches like smashed chickpea salad or chicken salad or with lighter meals like baked salmon, grilled shrimp, or baked chicken breasts. 1 cup sliced bell pepper, 1 medium 1 cup thinly sliced zucchini , 1/2 medium 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions, 5 to 6 green onions 1/4 cup sliced pepperoncini or banana peppers, optional 1 cup (4 ounces) halved mixed olives 1 cup (2 ounces) grated parmesan cheese or other hard cheese 1 cup (6 ounces) fresh mozzarella balls, chopped 1/3 cup fresh parsley or basil, optional 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 2 to 3 tablespoons juice from pepperoncini jar, optional 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2While the pasta cooks, make the dressing in the bottom of a large bowl. Whisk the red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, pepperoncini juice (if using), and olive oil until blended. Add the drained and rinsed pasta to the dressing and mix well. 3Stir in the bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, scallions, pepperoncini (if using), olives, parmesan, mozzarella, and herbs (if using). Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Serve, or for the best results, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days.
