Pasta Salad Recipe

This simple pasta salad recipe is contemporary, flavorful, and comes collectively quick. Crisp veggies, tangy Italian dressing, and a sprinkle of feta make it excellent for potlucks, picnics, or a simple make-ahead facet for the week.

Taste: Tangy Italian dressing and creamy feta mix for a crave-worthy, salty chunk in each forkful.
Why Make It: Make it forward, let it chill, and watch the flavors meld completely with no further effort required.
Serving Recommendations: Earlier than serving, give the pasta salad a fast toss and add a splash extra dressing if wanted. Identical to bean salad or coleslaw, this pasta salad travels properly and truly tastes even higher after chilling.

ingredients for easy pasta salad including dressing, cucumber, pasta, tomatoes, cheese, bell peppers, & onion, black olives and parsley

Components You’ll Want:

Pasta: Rotini is ideal as a result of it holds onto the dressing, however ziti, penne, or bow ties work nice too. Select a sturdy form and cook dinner it al dente so it stays agency as soon as chilled.
Veggies: Cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell peppers add coloration and crunch. Pat the cucumbers dry, and drain the tomatoes in the event that they’re further juicy, to maintain the salad from getting watery.
Cheese: A salty, crumbly cheese provides one of the best taste, like feta, parmesan, or blue cheese. Mozzarella pearls work too if you would like one thing milder.
Dressing: Italian dressing retains this simple and zesty (use bottled or homemade). Use sufficient to coat the pasta properly since it is going to soak it up because it chills.

Favourite Variations

Make It a Meal: Add diced ham, salami, shredded hen, or chickpeas.
Maintain it Gentle: Use mozzarella pearls, and soak the crimson onion in chilly water for 10 to fifteen minutes. Drain properly, and pat dry earlier than including.
Add Extra Greens: Toss in a handful of child spinach simply earlier than serving for a contemporary increase.

Ingredients for an easy pasta salad on a cutting board

How one can Make Pasta Salad

Cook dinner the pasta and prep the greens (full recipe beneath).
Combine the greens, pasta, dressing, and parsley collectively.
Add salt, pepper, and feta. Refrigerate for two hours or till able to serve.

Drain the pasta very well after rinsing so the dressing doesn’t get watered down.
Fold within the feta final and stir gently so it doesn’t break aside an excessive amount of.
Earlier than serving, toss with an additional tablespoon or two of dressing to refresh the flavour.

an an easy pasta salad in a white serving bowl with a serving spoon

How one can Maintain it Contemporary

Maintain leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. If making forward, maintain cucumbers and tomatoes separate. To refresh toss with a splash of dressing simply earlier than serving.

How lengthy is pasta salad good for within the fridge?

As much as 5 days in an hermetic container. Toss earlier than serving and add a splash of dressing if it appears dry.

Are you able to freeze pasta salad?

Freezing will not be really useful. The pasta and contemporary veggies get smooth and watery after thawing.

What to place into pasta salad?

Use pasta + crunchy veggies + dressing + a salty cheese like feta, plus herbs. Add olives, pepperoncini, or a protein like salami or chickpeas if you would like a heartier dish.

What goes with pasta salad?

It goes with something, like burgers, sandwiches, ribs, and different potluck sides like coleslaw or corn.

Pasta Salad Remixed

Did you make this Pasta Salad? Go away a score and remark beneath.

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook dinner Time 15 minutes

Chill Time 2 hours

Whole Time 2 hours 35 minutes

In a big pot, boil pasta in salted water till al dente (agency) in response to package deal instructions. Drain and rinse beneath chilly water to chill.
In the meantime, chop the cucumber, grape tomatoes, bell pepper, and crimson onions.
In a big bowl, mix your cooked and cooled pasta, ready greens, Italian dressing, sliced olives (if utilizing), and contemporary parsley. Toss properly to coat.
Season with salt and pepper to style and gently stir in feta cheese.
Refrigerate for not less than 2 hours earlier than serving to permit the flavors to mix and the pasta to soak within the dressing.

Any medium pasta can be utilized. Remember to cook dinner al dente (agency) because the dressing will soften the pasta additional. Rinse beneath chilly water as soon as cooked to cease it from cooking.
Gown the salad generously because the pasta will take in the dressing.
You should utilize any greens on this recipe (together with leftover cooked/roasted greens). Extra favorites embody zucchini, peas, peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
Non-obligatory however scrumptious additions embody ham, bacon, salami, sundried tomatoes, pesto, artichokes, or finely diced broccoli.
Maintain leftover salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
To make a fast selfmade pasta salad dressing, whisk the next:

¼ cup crimson wine vinegar
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon every dried oregano and basil
1 teaspoon every honey and Dijon mustard
Whereas whisking, very slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil till included. Season with salt & pepper to style.

Vitamin info offered is an estimate and can fluctuate based mostly on cooking strategies and types of components used.

Course Pasta, Salad, Aspect Dish

Delicacies American

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