Classic Pasta Salad Recipes

CLASSIC CREAMY PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Start off by making the creamy salad dressing. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. 
• Then dice up the red onion, celery, and bell pepper. You can speed the process up by using a vegetable chopper.
• Now cook the pasta according to the package or al dente. Once the pasta is cooked, pour out into a colander and quickly rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process. 
• Then add the pasta, chopped vegetables, and creamy dressing into a large bowl and toss to combine. Here you can add additional salt according to your liking. Serve chilled.

CLASSIC PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Strain pasta and run it under cold water to stop the cooking process; you don't want it to be mushy. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
• Add salad dressing, pepperoni, salami, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, feta cheese, black olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion to the pasta; toss to combine.
• Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

CLASSIC ITALIAN PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Combine all ingredients except Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing in large bowl. Add Dressing; toss well. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
• NOTE: If preparing a day ahead, refrigerate, then stir in 1/4 cup additional Wish-Bone Dressing before serving.
• For a Creamy Italian Pasta Salad, substitute 1/2 cup Hellmann's® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise for 1/2 cup Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing.
• Also terrific with Wish-Bone® Robusto Italian, Fat Free! Italian, House Italian, Ranch, Light Ranch, Fat Free! Ranch, Creamy Caesar, Red Wine Vinaigrette or Fat Free! Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressings.
• See nutrition information for sodium content.

CLASSIC PASTA SALAD (FOR A CROWD)

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta. Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is room temperature. Place pasta in a large bowl.
• Add cherry tomatoes, pepperoni, onion, bell pepper, mozzarella, parmesan, and olives to the bowl. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, add olive oil, vinegar, italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
• Pour vinaigrette over pasta salad, then toss to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Pasta salad will keep for 3-4 days, refrigerated in a sealed container. Pasta WILL continue to soak up the dressing the longer it sits, so it may need a splash of olive oil and vinegar if it has been sitting for several hours.

CLASSIC PICNIC PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Whisk the mayonnaise, parsley, sour cream, chives, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a large bowl.
• Cook the broccoli in the boiling water until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander. Run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Add the broccoli to the bowl with the dressing.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Three minutes before the pasta is done, add the peas to the pot. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Add to the bowl.
• Add the ham, provolone, olives, onion and salami to the bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. The pasta salad is best if served right away.

CLASSIC PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients. Stir until well blended, cover and transfer to the refrigerator to chill.
• In a medium bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients - mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, Dijon mustard, hot sauce and smoked paprika. Whisk well and pour in the pasta salad. Gently stir until all the ingredients are coated, cover and chill for 2 hours.

CLASSIC PASTA SALAD WITH MOZZARELLA, AVOCADO AND BASIL

Steps:

• To prepare the dressing, in a large bowl, whisk together shallot, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in oil. Taste and add more salt and-or lemon juice if needed.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is just al dente, usually a minute less than the package instructions. Drain well. While still warm, add the pasta to the bowl with the dressing and toss well. Let pasta cool, soaking up the dressing.
• In a medium bowl, gently toss together avocado, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
• Just before serving, add tomato, cucumber, mozzarella and Parmesan to the bowl with the pasta and toss well. Gently fold in avocado and basil.
• Drizzle with olive oil, cracked black pepper and salt to taste before serving.