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Home » Recipe » Quick and Easy Pasta Salad Recipe for a Crowd

Quick and Easy Pasta Salad Recipe for a Crowd

Last Modified: October 22, 2024 Sabrina Quairoli This blog uses cookies. It also has affiliate links. We earn sponsored content income.

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I like cold pasta salads. Some can be time-consuming, but this one only took me 30 minutes. Adding different flavorful items to any old pasta salad recipe will help enhance the flavor of any cold pasta salad recipe. This recipe is great for hot summer months to enjoy at a gathering or just with the family.

Jump to:
  • Back story:
  • Ingredients:
  • Easy Pasta Salad Ingredients:
  • Easy Pasta Salad Instructions:
  • Essential tips when making this cold pasta salad recipe
  • Reveal:
  • What can you serve with pasta salad?
  • When should I make this pasta salad recipe?
  • What should I put in a cold pasta salad recipe?
  • Quick and Easy Pasta Salad Recipe Card

Back story:

This recipe was modified from a relative's recipe who has been known for pasta salads over the years. I approached her to get her thoughts on the best ingredients for a pasta salad recipe. She mentioned a variety of ingredients, and this recipe came out of that discussion.

Ingredients:

Here are the ingredients I used to make this one:  Feel free to use whatever is in your pantry (Affiliate Link) to create your quick and easy pasta salad recipe.

quick and easy pasta salad ingredients

Easy Pasta Salad Ingredients:

4 cups of dried pasta (I used small Fusilli (Affiliate Link) pasta.)
1 cup of red bell peppers chopped into small pieces
One cup of cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup of zucchini peeled and chopped into small pieces
One cup of red kidney beans (rinsed)
1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese cubed
⅔ - ¾ cup of favorite salad dressing (I created a Dijon mustard with oregano (Affiliate Link), white wine vinegar, olive oil (Affiliate Link), salt, and pepper to taste)

Easy Pasta Salad Instructions:

First, I cooked the pasta in coordination with the recipe. You can also place the pasta in cold water to shock it. But, it is not necessary.

Then, I drained it and placed the pasta on a cookie sheet (Affiliate Link) to cool off. It worked pretty well. After about 5 minutes, I added the zucchini, beans, red pepper, cheddar cheese, and cherry tomatoes.

lay out pasta to cool on a cookie sheet then add ingredients

Mix together in a big bowl.

Then, I mixed them, transferred them to the bowl, added a little salad dressing, and tossed them together. I added a little more until the pasta was just wet and not coated with too much dressing. I prefer it not to be incredibly moist.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate

Then, I covered the bowl and placed it in the refrigerator for a few hours or up to 3 hours. This easy salad even tastes better on the second day. Remember that the pasta salad recipe is best served cold, so keeping it in the refrigerator until half an hour before dinner or a party works best.

Then, toss it again and add more dressing if needed.

Enjoy!

Essential tips when making this cold pasta salad recipe

Keep in mind that everything should be about the same size.

So, when you cut vegetables, be sure to have them about the same size as the pasta and other vegetables.

Conserve some of the dressing to apply before serving.

If you use up all the dressing, the pasta will most likely absorb it. Toss some of it into the bowl, and serving it will make it juicier. It will also add a pop of flavor to the salad.

Don't overcook or undercook the pasta.

Try cooking the pasta precisely as instructed. Many manufacturers, like Barilla, consider that when they determine their temperature, it should be al dente.

Looking for some great pasta bowls (Affiliate Link)? Here are some I found on Amazon (Affiliate Link). They are ceramic bowls and great for handing out to enjoy this recipe!

Image of Pasta Bowls, Ceramic Salad Bowls of 6, 32 oz Large

Pasta Bowls, Ceramic Salad Bowls of 6, 32 oz Large

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Image of Pasta Bowls Set - 30 Ounce Ceramic Plates

Pasta Bowls Set - 30 Ounce Ceramic Plates

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(Affiliate Link)

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Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon (Affiliate Link), and at no additional cost, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.

Reveal:

Here is what the finished pasta salad looks like after it is finished. Yummy, right?

Quick and Easy Pasta Salad Recipe for a crowd in a bowl square image
quick and easy pasta salad in the bowl

What can you serve with pasta salad?

You can serve pasta salad with many other dishes. Below are some from our website to give you ideas from our grilling (Affiliate Link) category.

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When should I make this pasta salad recipe?

This recipe can be used for a variety of activities. Below is a list of activities that I have made this recipe.

  • School activities/events - indoor procession home shows, school play cast party
  • Family BBQs - 4th of July party, Memorial Day BBQ, summer party
  • Religious gatherings - Baptisms, communions
  • Weeknight Dinners - Dinner for busy nights
  • Sunday family gatherings - Summertime family reunions

What should I put in a cold pasta salad recipe?

You can add a variety of ingredients to a cold pasta salad recipe. Below are several that work well. Be sure to add the ingredients below evenly. Too much, and it will not taste right.

Type of Pasta to Use (pasta shape):

  • Fusilli (Affiliate Link)
  • Elbow (Affiliate Link)
  • Rigatoni
  • Wagon wheels
  • Medium shells
  • Penne
  • Tortellini
  • Color rotini

Add four cups of any of these pasta types to make a large batch of pasta salad. Add ½ to 1 pound of pasta if it is for a family of 4-6 people.

Protein (optional) to use in your pasta salad:

  • Cubed cheese - shredded or crumbled - American, cheddar, feta cheese, fresh mozzarella, etc.
  • Chicken breast - cooked and chopped
  • Steak - cooked and cubed
  • Salami - cubed
  • Ham - cubed
  • Roast beef - chopped
  • Tuna (canned) - drained and flaked
  • Crabmeat - Lump type and picked over
  • Shrimp (71-90) Size- cooked and chopped
  • Egg - hardboiled and chopped
  • Tofu - baked and chopped
  • Nuts - toasted and chopped
  • Bacon - cooked and crumbled
  • Pine nuts - toasted

Add 1 cup of protein for a large batch and a regular-size family of six.

Vegetables (Fresh veggies) or Legumes (raw or canned):

Fresh produce works best.

  • Broccoli florets - blanched
  • Corn kernels - blanched or frozen(defrosted and cooked).
  • Carrots - shredded
  • Tomatoes - cherry - halved
  • Frozen peas - cooked and let cool to room temperature.
  • English Cucumber or regular cucumber - diced - seedless or remove seeds
  • Celery - sliced bite-size pieces
  • Red / Green / Yellow / Orange Bell pepper - diced
  • Green beans - cut into bite-sized pieces - blanched
  • Asparagus - blanched and chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • Chickpeas - canned
  • Red kidney beans - canned
  • Cannellini or Great Northern beans - canned
  • Zucchini - peeled and chopped
  • Mushrooms - fresh and chopped

Add at least 2 of the vegetables or beans above.

Olives and Marinated ingredients:

  • Black olives - sliced
  • Kalamata Olives - sliced
  • Green Olives - sliced
  • Pepperoncini Peppers
  • Sundried tomatoes - chopped
  • Roasted red pepper - chopped

These ingredients are optional but packed with flavor. Depending on the richness you want to bring to your pasta salad, add at least ½ cup of them.

Salad Dressing:

Tangy dressings work well for a good pasta salad. Below are some suggestions.

  • Italian Dressing - vinaigrettes work well
  • Greek Salad Dressing - vinaigrettes work well
  • Garlic oil Dressing- garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil (Affiliate Link), salt and pepper.
  • Dijon Dressing: Dijon mustard with oregano (Affiliate Link), white wine vinegar, olive oil (Affiliate Link), salt, and pepper to taste

Add at least ⅔ cup to ¾ cup, depending on the pasta you use. It's better to make more to help keep the salad moist.

Here is the recipe if you want to print it.

Print
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Easy Pasta Salad Recipe in a bowl

Quick and Easy Pasta Salad Recipe Card


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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Sabrina M Quairoli
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12
Print Recipe
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Description

A cold salad recipe for a crowd.


Ingredients

  • 4 cups of dried pasta (I used small Fusilli (Affiliate Link) pasta.)
  • 1 cup of red peppers chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup of cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup of zucchini peeled and chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup of red kidney beans (rinsed)
  • 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese cubed
  • ¾ cup of favorite salad dressing

Instructions

  1. First, I cooked the pasta coordinating to the recipe.
  2. Then, I drained it and placed the pasta on a cookie sheet (Affiliate Link) to cool off. It worked pretty well. After about 5 minutes, I added the zucchini, then, beans, red pepper, cheddar cheese, and cherry tomatoes.
  3. Then, I mixed them and transferred them to the bowl and used a little of the salad dressing and tossed it together. I added a little more until it was just wet and not too much dressing coating the pasta. I prefer it not be extremely wet.
  4. Then, I covered the bowl and placed it in the refrigerator for a few hours.
  5. Then, toss it again and add more dressing if needed.
  6. Enjoy!

Notes

(I created a Dijon mustard with oregano (Affiliate Link), white wine vinegar, and olive oil (Affiliate Link), salt and pepper to taste)

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: salad
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: american

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 230.51 kcal
  • Sugar: 2.45 g
  • Sodium: 66.92 mg
  • Fat: 3.98 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.96 g
  • Trans Fat: 0.11 g
  • Carbohydrates: 37.3 g
  • Fiber: 3.99 g
  • Protein: 10.66 g
  • Cholesterol: 9.61 mg

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Quick and Easy Pasta Salad Recipe for a crowd - featured imag
quick and easy pasta salad in the bowl
quick and easy pasta salad
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About Sabrina Quairoli

I love sharing my passion for organizing life and home. I hope you get inspired when visiting my home organizing tips, quick weeknight recipes, party planning ideas, and DIY organizing projects. Visit the About Me page to read my story.

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  1. Kathy says

    April 13, 2024 at 12:49 am

    Hi Sabrina,
    Your pasta salad sounds amazing! I would really appreciate your recipe for the salad dressing listed in “Notes.” How much of each of the items, to make the dressing?
    Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Sabrina Quairoli says

      April 13, 2024 at 11:47 am

      Thanks, Kathy!

      For the dressing, It's not a very exact recipe. I go by taste. =) But, here are some guidelines.

      1-2 tbsp Dijon mustard depending on how much you like Dijon mustard flavor
      1/2 tsp oregano dried
      1/3-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
      1/3-1/2 cup white wine vinegar
      pinch salt to taste
      pepper to taste

      Using a whisk, mix all the ingredients except for the olive oil together. Then, whisk the olive oil into the mixture.

      You can double or triple this batch depending on the amount of pasta you are making. Usually I make extra to use the next day with the pasta salad.

      Reply
  2. Janet Barclay says

    June 17, 2015 at 6:47 am

    Saving this - can't wait to try it!

    Reply
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