Pasta salad is traditionally a summer recipe, but I love to eat this all year long.

The Best Pasta Salad Recipe Ever consists of a variety of vegetables, mozzarella cheese, and salami, all drizzled with a homemade cumin vinaigrette.

pasta salad in bowl with spoon

I love combining leftover vegetables, cheeses, and meats to create an amazing-tasting salad. This summer, I’ve been trying it for the first time, and it has excited my lunches.ย 

So, while pasta salad may be a typical potluck dish, it can also be a tasty, fresh, and delicious meal.

overhead shot of pasta salad in bowl

how to select fresh fruits & vegetables

  • Don’t pick produce that is bruised or damaged. Brown spots or leaves are signs of aging.
  • Before selecting, give produce a light squeeze. This helps to know if it is ripe. The only fruit that should be rock solid is an apple. If an apple is squishy, put it down. Other fruits, including pears, bananas, and avocados, continue to soften after picking if left at room temperature. *If my apples, pears, or avocados become overly soft, I stick them in the fridge.
  • To check fruit, smell it. My son recently taught me this. The sweeter the smell, the riper it is for picking.
  • Choose vibrant, colorful produce and extra vitamins to add color to your dish.
  • Buy produce seasonally. This not only helps with saving money but also with the quality of the product.
overhead shot of pasta salad with wooden serving spoons

How to make pasta salad

What makes a great pasta salad is the big and bold flavors of fresh herbs and peppers, as well as the cumin and oregano in the dressing.

Overall, creating a pasta salad is pretty straightforward. Start with your favorite pasta for salads; I like Fusilli or Bow-Tie noodles.

cooked pasta in mixing bowl

To me, the dressing is the most essential ingredient for a pasta salad; it essentially gives it all the flavor.

Whether you like mild or big and bold flavors, a basic, simple pasta salad has four main components: 1) pasta, 2) vegetables, 3) cheese/meat, and 4) dressing.ย 

The base: Pasta of your choice.

While I have seen pasta salad served with various noodles, I prefer bow-tie noodles. But you could easily use a shortcut pasta. I like these two because of the noodle-to-fresh veggie ratio. Plus, let’s be realโ€”eating with your fork (or fingers) is much easier.

It’s all about fresh vegetables!

Using fresh vegetables gives pasta salad stunning pops of color and allows for a great crunch.

cilantro on top of veggies in bowl, overhead shot

Cumin Vinaigrette

This easy dressing takes 5 minutes or less to put together. What is excellent about this cumin dressing is that it’s incredibly versatile. I first used this dressing on my Easy Southwestern Pasta Salad and have not used it in other recipes because it is insanely delicious.ย 

Cumin Vinaigrette being poured over pasta salad

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collage image of pasta salad with recipe title

Best Pasta Salad Recipe Ever

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 7 minutes
Servings: 20 1 cup servings
Calories: 233 kcal
This pasta salad has fresh corn, red and yellow peppers, cilantro, cucumbers, green onion, cherry tomatoes & homemade vinaigrette.

Ingredients
 

Pasta Salad

  • 1 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels 2 ears of corn, cooked
  • 3 cups bells peppers I used the rainbow pack, core, stem removed and diced
  • 2 cups English cucumber quartered and sliced
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup green onions chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups cubed mozzarella or Monterrey jack cheese crumbled
  • 1 1/2 cups Genova salami, quartered
  • 1 lb pasta shells pasta of your choice

Cumin Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • t tablespoon white granulated sugar

Instructions
 

Cumin Vinaigrette

  • Add all of the ingredients for the dressing into a mason jar. Screw the lid on the mason jar and shake vigorously until well combined. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Pasta Salad

  • Fill a large pot with water, add 2-3 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil over HIGH heat. Once water is brought to a boil add the pasta and cook until al dente. Check package instructions for approximate time.
  • Drain pasta and rinse under cold water, toss with a little olive oil. Set aside and allow to cool.
  • Meanwhile chop tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, corn, green onions and red onion. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the cooked pasta and cheese to the large bowl with the vegetables. Pour the homemade dressing over the top and toss to combine.
  • Place a lid on the the bowl or cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate. You can serve this pasta right away or up to for several hours. I sometimes make my pasta salads a day or two ahead of time.
    Serve cold and enjoy!
Calories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 7gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 311mgPotassium: 177mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 206IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know what you think!

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Recipe Rating




33 Comments

    1. 5 stars
      We make this pasta salad very often for our backyard parties! It’s always a hit! It’s rich and tasty!

  1. 5 stars
    This is a summertime staple in my house but this recipe is way better than how I usually make it! Serving it again with dinner tonight! Delicious!

    1. Thank you for letting us know! It should be 1/2 cup of crumbled feta or cotija cheese. You can add more or less, or even leave it out completely if you wish.

    1. Sorry about that! It should be 1/2 cup of crumbled feta or cotija cheese. You can add more or less, or even leave it out completely if you wish.

  2. 5 stars
    This has become a staple at all our parties and gatherings and is the recipe I bring when we go to potlucks. Everyone loves it.

  3. 5 stars
    I’ve tried many pasta salad recipes over the years, but yours truly lives up to its name as the BEST EVER! The dressing was zesty and flavorful, and the mix of veggies and cheese was perfect.

  4. 5 stars
    It was the perfect balance of hearty and light!! Everyone loved it! Definitely a recipe I’d make again for a summer picnic or as a refreshing side dish.

  5. 5 stars
    This pasta salad was colorful, tasty, and had a great mix of textures. It was both refreshing and satisfying, ideal for a summer meal or a side dish. Definitely a keeper!