Easy Pasta Salad is one of my favorite spring and summer recipes. It is easy to make and a real crowd-pleaser, making it great for a barbecue or potluck.
Made with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, cheese, and salami, this recipe has only seven ingredients, and it is so simple that it can be made in 25 minutes.
My Favorite Kitchen Tools To Make This Recipe
From trusty pots and pans to handy gadgets, I’ve curated a list of products I use and love.
I grew up having my mom’s friend, Jean, pasta salad. She makes it all the time for really any summer get-together. We had its camp trips and her kids’ graduation parties.
I loved its ingredients and asked my mom to get the recipe from her. I knew I could easily throw it together, but I wanted to see the dressing she used.
If you know Jean, you would also expect the dressing to be homemade. When I was told it was just bottled Italian dressing, I was surprised but grateful because the dish turned out easier than I thought.
My biggest pet peeve in recipes like this is the mayo people use, which is typically overdressed and hides the fresh ingredients. That is why I love this recipe, you can taste every element, and together, they are delicious.
This recipe also stores well and doesn’t get nasty after the first time you serve it, so if you have to keep the leftovers, you will be just fine.
If you are breaking this Easy Pasta Salad into smaller servings for your lunch throughout the week, I would keep the cheese to the side and add it right before serving, as it can get a little mushy after a couple of days. It will still taste great, but the texture ruins it for me.
recipe Tips
Ingredients
- Penne or rigatoni pasta
- Italian salami
- Monterey Jack cheese cubed
- Cherry tomatoes quartered
- English cucumber sliced and quartered
- Black olives sliced
- 1/2 cup Italian vinaigrette dressing – 3/4 cup, depending on preference
- 1 packet dry Italian-style salad dressing mix (optional)
More Salad Recipes we love
Pin To Your Favorite Pinterest Board!
Easy Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces penne pasta or rigatoni
- 1 1/2 cups Italian salami
- 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese cubed
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 1/2 cups English cucumber sliced and quartered
- 8 ounces black olives sliced
- 1/2 cup Italian vinaigrette dressing – 3/4 cup, depending on preference
- 1 tablespoon dry Italian-style salad dressing mix optional
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package directions.
- Once cooked, rinse with cold water in a colander. Allow noodles to completely cool.
- Place noodles in a large mixing bowl.
- Cut up salami, Monterey Jack cheese, cherry tomatoes and cucumber.
- Add the cut salami, cheese, tomatoes, cucumber and sliced olives on top of the noodles.
- Add 1/2 cup of dressing toss to combine. If you want to add more dressing do so by adding 1/4 cup at a time. Taste and add more if you desire.If you are adding the optional dry Italian-style salad dressing mix, add this in with the Italian dressing.
No cookout or picnic is complete without a delicious pasta salad! Can’t wait to try this version!
I agree, enjoy!
Such a great classic and perfect for any potluck or bbq!
Definitely! I hope you enjoy!
This looks delicious! Perfect for Memorial Day coming up!
Great idea, enjoy!
My husband loves pasta salad, so this is oing on the menu soon!
I hope he likes it, thanks!
This looks SO SO good! I can’t wait to try it out this summer!
Thank you, enjoy!
Oh, yum! The only thing better than those flavors is how simple this is. I love it!
I love this recipe! So quick and easy and perfect for any party or get together. It is always a huge hit!
Looks incredibly delicious! I’m definitely making this!
This is sure to be a huge hit at your next party. People could not get enough!
This salad was perfect for a potluck I had this weekend! The simple combination of ingredients created a burst of flavors in every bite! It was easy to make and even easier to enjoy!
I made your Easy Pasta Salad for a picnic, and it was a big hit! It was so fresh and colorful, and the dressing was just perfect. This is definitely my new go-to pasta salad recipe!
Its simplicity and crowd-pleasing flavors make it a go-to dish for any warm-weather gathering.
I love this salad soooooo much! It makes an appearance at our backyard bbqs every summer!
Delicious and easy. Thanks!
You are so welcome!