Pasta Salad Recipe With Italian Dressing: The Perfect Side Dish

Pasta salad may be a humble dish, but it’s an absolute staple in British cuisine, chiefly over the summer. It’s light, refreshing, versatile and, above all, delicious. It can be embellished with a wide variety of leaves, cheeses, and other ingredients, and a pasta salad recipe with Italian dressing never fails to delight. So, if a pasta salad recipe tastes boring, it’s only due to the cook’s lack of imagination.

Italians are strict regarding pasta culture, but you don’t have to be. There’s an easy pasta salad recipe with Italian dressing for every taste. Find yours here.  

Copy and Pasta

Following a pasta salad recipe isn’t rocket science; even the least skilled cooks can do it. Some options can take less than half an hour to be ready, using simple ingredients and an Italian dressing from the supermarket. There’s a lot of room for customisation, and the tasty Italian dressing isn’t the only option on the table.

Homemade dressings can go a long way using olive oil, garlic, oregano, mustard, pepper, and everything you feel like eating. Still, a classic pasta salad recipe with Italian dressing must include pepperoni (or salami), black olives, tomatoes, red onions, bell pepper, mozzarella balls, and generous doses of fresh Parmesan cheese.

Shape Matters    

Italian cuisine is rich and varied, and countless kinds of pasta are available. There’s no right or wrong here, and the choice of shape in a pasta salad recipe with Italian dressing mostly depends on personal taste. Fusilli, with its spiral shape, is perfect for those who like thicker textures.

Meanwhile, the noodle-like linguine is advisable for chunkier sauces. However, those who like softer textures should consider thinner options, like Angel Hair, or ribbon-shaped options, like pappardelle or fettuccine.

Going Vegan  

With so many animal-based ingredients, setting up a tasty vegan recipe may sound challenging, but it’s far from true. Indeed, it involves extra care in choosing the ingredients, as traditional pasta takes eggs, for instance. Still, almost any supermarket will have one or more vegan pasta options these days.

Besides, there’s no shortage of ready-to-eat vegetables that can be assembled in the mix: chopped cucumber, boiled broccoli, carrots, lemons, and vegan-friendly sauces like ranch. Putting it all together can take about 10 minutes.  

Pasta Salad Everywhere  

Whether it’s a picnic or a gathering with family and friends, pasta salad is a side dish that goes well with everything. It can be assembled very quickly, but it requires a bit of planning, as it must be cold at the time of serving it; two hours in the fridge should do the trick.

Some people like to prepare it one day in advance, so it gets really cold and gives time for the flavours to stick. However, it should be covered really tightly. Otherwise, the sauce can dry out in the fridge, and the vegetables can get a strange texture. Still, it’s one of the simplest and tastiest ways to please your guests.