This easy pasta salad recipe comes together quickly with convenient ingredients and colorful vegetables.
How to Make Pasta Salad
You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics:
Pasta Salad Ingredients
Wondering what goes in pasta salad? These are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Pasta: This colorful, top-rated pasta salad starts with one pound of tri-colored spiral pasta.
- Dressing: Use a bottle of store-bought Italian-style dressing or, if you want to go the extra mile, make your own at home.
- Seasoning mix: Salad seasoning mix lends tons of savory flavor.
- Vegetables: You’ll need cherry tomatoes, three bell peppers (green, yellow, and red), and a can of black olives.
How to Make Homemade Pasta Salad
Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make pasta salad at home:
- Cook and drain the pasta.
- Whisk the dressing with the seasoning mix.
- Combine the pasta with the vegetables, then toss in the seasoned dressing.
What Goes With Pasta Salad
This pasta salad recipe will be right at home among other potluck and picnic favorites. In need of some more inspiration? Explore our collection of 15 Best Potluck Side Dishes Are So Good Everyone Will Be Begging You for the Recipes. Here are a few of the crowd-pleasing recipes you’ll find:
Can You Make Pasta Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes, pasta salad makes a great make-ahead dish! Since the flavors need time to meld in the refrigerator, it might actually be better to make it a day or two in advance.
How Long Is Pasta Salad Good For In the Fridge?
Store this pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Can You Freeze Pasta Salad?
The texture of the cooked pasta may change during the freezing and thawing process. However, you can freeze this pasta salad for up to three months if you have leftovers.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
“Adding the seasoning packet really kicks up the flavor,” according to Jean. “I also add chopped broccoli which I steam for just a few seconds to enhance the color.”
“I made this for 18 servings for a potluck at work and everyone loved it,” says Laura Leal. “I followed the recipe and simply added some broccoli. It was easy to make.”
“This pasta salad is awesome!” raves katherinebond. “I added sliced boiled eggs around the bowl as a topping. Got many compliments!”
Editorial contributions by Corey Williams
Ingredients
-
1 pound tri-colored spiral pasta
-
1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian-style salad dressing
-
6 tablespoons salad seasoning mix
-
2 cups cherry tomatoes, diced
-
1 green bell pepper, chopped
-
1 red bell pepper, diced
-
½ yellow bell pepper, chopped
-
1 (2.25 ounce) can black olives, chopped
Directions
-
Gather all ingredients.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
-
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 to 12 minutes; rinse under cold water and drain.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
-
Whisk Italian dressing and salad spice mix together until smooth. Combine pasta, tomatoes, bell peppers, and olives in a salad bowl.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
-
Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
-
For the best flavor, refrigerate the pasta salad for 8 hours to overnight.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
-
Enjoy!
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 400 | Calories |
| 25g | Fat |
| 39g | Carbs |
| 8g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 6 | |
| Calories 400 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 25g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat 4g | 22% |
| Cholesterol 3mg | 1% |
| Sodium 1904mg | 83% |
| Total Carbohydrate 39g | 14% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 13% |
| Total Sugars 8g | |
| Protein 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin C 79mg | 88% |
| Calcium 54mg | 4% |
| Iron 3mg | 14% |
| Potassium 298mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
