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Easy Pasta Salad is perfect to feed a crowd on a budget. It’s full of fresh ingredients and delicious pasta for a great side dish option. 

Pasta Salad in a black bowl
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Pasta salad is my go to side dish recipe for any cookouts or family gatherings. We even like to serve as a 4th of July Side Dishes. The ingredients are simple and it is easy to use what we have on hand. We also love Greek pasta salad for another yummy side dish idea.  I also make these cucumber bites to get the kids to eat veggies.

Check out 21 Easy Cold Pasta Salad Recipes for more ideas. You may even like this Salad Supreme Pasta Salad.

Table of Contents

Why We Love This Recipe

Make this Cold Pasta Salad for an easy Side Dish. It is easy to prepare ahead of time and it always taste amazing. You can make it hearty by adding in sliced pepperonis or leftover shredded chicken.

My whole family loves this pasta salad because of the fresh ingredients and amazing taste.

Ingredients

Easy Pasta Salad Ingredients - Rotini pasta, salad dressing, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella balls, parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

Variations Ideas

  • Pasta – Feel free to make this pasta with different types of pasta. You can make it with farfalle, penne, and more.
  • Additions – There are many additions to this pasta salad that would add flavor and amazing taste. We suggest kalamata olives, fresh spinach, chopped arugula, and shredded carrots. You can even add in boiled eggs.
  • Seasoning – Fresh herbs are always a great addition to this pasta salad. Toss in chopped basil right before serving for amazing flavor.
  • Cheese – We love the addition of the Mozzarella Balls but Feta Cheese works great too.

How to Make Easy Pasta Salad

Cooking Rotini Noodles in a large pot of water with bowls of cherry tomatoes, chopped bell peppers, red onions, and black olives on the side

Step 1 – Cook the pasta to al la dente based on the package instructions in a large pot. Drain the pasta immediately and then rinse with cold water until pasta is cooled off.

Adding the cooked pasta to a bowl and adding in the cherry tomatoes, black olives, green peppers and the mozzarella balls

Step 2 – In a large bowl, gently stir together the cool pasta, vegetables and Italian dressing.  Then gently stir in the mozzarella balls. 

Topping the pasta mixture with seasoning

Step 3 – Season with salt and pepper and top with the Parmesan Cheese and fresh parsley.  

Pasta salad covered with plastic wrap in a bowl

Step 4 – Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight until ready to serve. Serve cold and then enjoy!

Recipe Tips

  • Cooking Pasta – Prepare the pasta according to the package and cook al dente. Make sure to not overcook so the pasta does not get mushy. We like to prepare the pasta the day before so the pasta has time to cool completely.
  • Make Ahead – This pasta salad is best to make ahead because it needs time to chill to really combine the ingredients.
Pasta salad in a bowl bowl

Serving Suggestions

Pasta salad is the perfect side dish for any occasion. We love to bring it to picnics, potlucks or to serve for a weeknight meal. Prepare this pasta salad when you make Grilled Chicken Kabobs or Grilled Teriyaki Steak Recipe.

Pasta Salad in a black bowl

Frequently Asked Questions

Should Pasta Salad Be Served Cold or Warm?

Most pasta salad are usually served chilled but can be served at room temperature.

Do You Rinse Pasta after Draining?

Yes, we recommend rinsing the pasta completely after draining. This remove the gummy texture from the pasta and stops the pasta from cooking.

How to Store Leftover Pasta Salad

Store the leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This pasta salad will stay fresh for up to 4 days. You may need to add more dressing after it has been stored if it seems dried out.

More Easy Pasta Salad Recipes

We love hearing from you. If you make this Easy Pasta Salad Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.

Review Pin Print

Easy Pasta Salad

5 from 17 votes
Take a look at this Easy Pasta Salad Recipe. It is the most simple pasta salad recipe ever and it feeds a crowd. The best pasta salad recipe is so easy.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Refrigerate 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 10
Cuisine American
Course Side Dish
Calories 290
Author Carrie Barnard

Ingredients

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Instructions

  • Cook the pasta to al la dente based on the package instructions. 
  • Drain the pasta immediately and then rinse with cold water until pasta is cooled off.
  • In a large mixing bowl, gently stir together the cool pasta, vegetables and Italian dressing.  Then gently stir in the mozzarella balls.  
  • Season with salt and pepper and top with the Parmesan Cheese and fresh parsley.  
  • Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight until ready to serve.
  • Serve cold and then enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Any cooked pasta will work for this recipe.  Cook to al dente and make sure that the pasta is firm as the dressing will soften the pasta as it sits.  
Any vegetables will work in this easy pasta salad.  Any type of bell peppers, banana peppers, zucchini, peas, broccoli, etc will be delicious in this pasta salad recipe. 
Refrigerate any leftover pasta, covered, for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 290kcal, Carbohydrates 41g, Protein 10g, Fat 9g, Saturated Fat 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat 3g, Monounsaturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0.02g, Cholesterol 11mg, Sodium 406mg, Potassium 314mg, Fiber 2g, Sugar 6g, Vitamin A 525IU, Vitamin C 23mg, Calcium 114mg, Iron 1mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

About Carrie Page
5 from 17 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Deb Albrecht says:

    5 stars
    I tried this for Memorial Day. It was a big hit

  2. Cheryl says:

    5 stars
    I make a pasta salad very much like this one. I use kielbasa sausage in mine – diced and heated thru before adding – and chopped broccoli florets. It comes out a little different every time I make it. We use it as a main dish in the summer. Everyone in my family likes it.