How do you make cold pasta salad a real standout? A great dressing is the key. It brightens bland pasta, and the acid, seasoning, and mix-ins all have time to marinate and build flavor as it sits.
This version works especially well for lunch because it travels well and holds up in the fridge. The vegetables bring crunch, the cheese adds more substance, and our Italian Herb parm in the dressing ties it all together.
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Recipe Summary
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus time to cook and cool the pasta
Cook Time: none in assembly
Best For: lunch prep, road trips, easy side, make-ahead meals
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked pasta, fully cooled
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
- 1/2 cup sliced olives
- 1/2 cup cubed mozzarella or cheddar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Shawhan Farms Italian Herb & Garlic Parmesan
- salt and pepper, if needed
Use what you have
- cooked chicken
- chickpeas
- salami
- red onion
- spinach
Instructions
1. Make the dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar or lemon juice, and Shawhan Farms Italian Herb & Garlic Parmesan. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
2. Toss the salad
In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, vegetables, cheese, and any extras you want to use. Pour the dressing over and toss well so everything is evenly coated.
3. Load the jars
Divide the pasta salad into jars or containers. If you are using spinach, tuck it in at the top so it stays fresher.
4. Chill
Close the jars and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Why This Works
A cold pasta salad needs lots of flavor from the start. The secret here is the dressing, which adds a bright accent to offset the bland pasta, while the add-ins bring texture and other flavor notes.
Our Italian Herb parm works especially well here because the garlic, herbs, and cheese are already built in. That gives the dressing more flavor from the start and helps the whole salad hold up better in the fridge.
Kitchen Notes
Short pasta shapes like rotini, shells, or bowties work best here.
Taste the salad after tossing. Pasta can soak up more dressing than expected as it sits.
Kitchen Variations
- add chickpeas for a meatless version with more substance
- add chicken if you want it to work more as lunch than a side
- use feta instead of mozzarella for a sharper bite
- add spinach at the end or keep it on top
- portion it into one large container instead of jars
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