Can I use other veggies and extras in this pasta salad?

By all means, customize this salad - that's what it does best! Try adding blanched green beans, fresh spinach, artichokes, red bell peppers, chickpeas, broccoli, etc. for a more veg-forward version. Or different types of cheese (feta cheese? parmesan cheese?), or different shapes of pasta (penne? fusili? maybe even some tortellini?)... the possibilities are endless. I love this salad as-is but I also love its flexibility!

How long will this prepared pasta salad stay good in the fridge?

Keep any leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days in a sealed container.

Can this pasta salad be prepped ahead of time?

Yes! And in fact, I recommend it! This tastes especially delicious when the flavors get to linger all together for a bit. I'd make it 12-24 hours ahead of time.

Can you freeze pasta salad?

While we'd all love to have pasta salad always at the ready, unfortunately, this cannot be frozen! The pasta will get especially weird and mushy, as well as the veggies too.

If I'm at a picnic, how do I ensure this stays at a safe temperature?

Since this is served cold, you should either remove it from the table once 2 hours have passed (putting it back in a fridge/cooler or tossing out), OR find a way for it to be served in a larger container of ice so that it stays at 40 degrees or less. Lots of good safe food practices for picnics and potlucks here !

The Best Easy Pasta Salad Recipe

Description

Super easy pasta salad – with pasta, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, spicy salami, pepperoncini, olives, and easy Italian dressing. DANGEROUSLY GOOD.

Ingredients

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Pasta Salad Essentials:

1 pound uncooked pasta
3 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese balls, cut in half
1 lb. salami or summer sausage, cut into cubes
3/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
3/4 cup pepperoncini (optional, but do it)
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Italian Pasta Salad Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar (white vinegar or red wine vinegar work)
1/4 cup water
1–2 tablespoons coarse sea salt (yes, tablespoons – see notes section!)
2 cloves garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons each dry oregano and dry basil
black pepper to taste
fresh herbs if you want! sometimes I add fresh parsley, basil, or chives.

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Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, in salted water for more flavor. Allow to cool slightly and toss with a little oil to prevent sticking.
Blend up the dressing, or shake together in a jar.
Toss all ingredients together! I like to use about three-fourths of the dressing, and then I save the rest of the dressing to add to my leftovers.
Keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. I think it actually tastes best the day AFTER you make it.

Equipment

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Notes

Update 7/12/22: Based on reader feedback and additional testing, the olive oil in the dressing was reduced to 1/2 cup (previous, it was 1 1/2 cups).

Please note that the amount written is for COARSE sea salt. If you are using fine table salt, start with 2 teaspoons and add more to taste. The dressing itself will be very salty. Like, too salty for a normal salad. But in this recipe, that’s what we want! That dressing is going to get tossed with an entire pound of plain pasta, as well as a whole lot of fresh unseasoned vegetables, and it will taste delicious once it’s all tossed up. If you don’t want as salty a dressing, feel free to reduce it to 1 tablespoon.

You can also save time on onion prep with this guide on how to cut an onion.

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Category: Side
Method: Mix
Cuisine: American

Keywords: pasta salad, pasta salad recipe, best pasta salad, potluck recipe, summer recipe