Easy Pasta Salad
This easy pasta salad recipe is fresh and light, made without mayo, featuring a simple Italian dressing. Loaded up with fresh veggies and greens, it’s a perfect side dish for brunch, a backyard barbecue, or a quick lunch.
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Grain-based salads like this pasta salad without mayonnaise are great for a potluck or picnic. Other faves include this street corn pasta salad or this trail mix salad. We have lots of salad recipes so check them out for inspiration.
Why you will love this recipe
This is the best pasta salad to make in spring and summer, using fresh, seasonal vegetables from the garden or farmer’s market. Tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers all taste their absolute best.
Its lighter and more nutritious alternative to traditional mayo-based salads. Bonus!
This can be prepared ahead of time and served cold or at room temperature. This makes it a popular prepping choice for potlucks, picnics, barbecues, and brunches.
Ingredient notes
Find the complete ingredient list, with measurements, in the recipe card below.
- Penne Pasta – It has a good ‘bite’ and doesn’t get mushy easily, making it perfect for pasta salads that can sit in the fridge for a few hours. We generally eat gluten free and highly recommend Rummo brand.
- Fresh Vegetables – Use a variety of vegetables for this recipe. We love cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and romaine lettuce,
- Parmesan Cheese – This adds a nice, creamy, and salty punch. Who doesn’t love cheese?
- Shallot – Shallots are like a more delicate onion, so they taste a little less sharp when added raw to the salad.
- Oil and Vinegar – This is the base for the super simple dressing. We use MCT oil or olive oil and white vinegar.
- Italian Seasoning – A mix of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. We have a quick recipe for homemade Italian seasoning, or you can buy it premade.
- Salt and Pepper – A pinch of sea salt and black pepper brings out the best in your ingredients.
Equipment
- Saucepan – Use a large pot for cooking the pasta. Give the pasta lots of room to cook.
- Baking Sheet – This is for spreading the cooked pasta out to cool so it doesn’t clump together.
- Sharp Knife and Cutting Board – For chopping the veggies. I love our Victorinox chef’s knife. A classic.
- Small Mason Jar – Our favorite way to mix up homemade salad dressings is by shaking the crap out of the ingredients in a glass jar.
- Mixing Bowl – Use a bowl that comes with a lid, and then it can do double duty for both mixing and storing the salad.
- Includes 1.3-qt, 2.3-qt, and 4.5-qt round glass bowls with BPA-free lids.
- This Pyrex line is proudly designed and manufactured in the U.S.A.
Instructions
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the FULL recipe details.
Step 1
Start by cooking the pasta.
Boil a large pot of salted water and follow the package instructions. We like a bit of bite to our pasta, so we cook it al dente. You don’t want to have mushy pasta salad.
After cooking the pasta, rinse it under cold water in the colander to stop the cooking process and cool it down quickly.
Next, drain and rinse the cooked pasta and spread it out on a baking sheet to cool.
This helps to prevent the pasta from sticking together while still maintaining a firm texture.
Expert Tip!
Spreading cooked pasta on a baking sheet helps it to cool quickly and evenly, so it maintains its ‘bite’. It also prevents it from clumping together.
Step 2
Meanwhile, while the pasta is cooking, chop the vegetables and grate the parmesan cheese.
Step 3
Then, add the pasta salad dressing ingredients to a small mason jar with a lid and shake it really well.
Step 4
Next, add the cooled, rinsed pasta, the chopped vegetables, and the parmesan cheese to a large bowl and stir.
Step 5
Finally, shake the dressing once more, and pour it over the ingredients in the bowl.
Toss the salad well to coat all of the ingredients with the dressing.
Substitutions and recipe variations
Shredded mozzarella is a lovely substitute for the Parmesan.
Make it dairy-free and leave off the cheese for a vegan pasta salad.
Switch up the veggies with bell pepper, spring peas, zucchini, shredded carrots, chopped broccoli or cauliflower, green onions, and sliced celery. We also love fresh herbs such as basil, dill, or parsley. Load up the bowl!
Use any type of pasta, such as rotini, farfalle (aka bow tie), fusilli, or elbow noodles, to make macaroni salad – always popular. Substitute gluten-free pasta if needed.
If you don’t have a shallot, a teaspoon of finely minced red onion also works well.
Substitute red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice instead of white vinegar for a different flavor.
Create a Mediterranean-style tuna salad by adding Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, and flaked tuna.
Make this a chicken salad by adding cold shredded chicken and a bit of Dijon mustard to the dressing. We love to use leftover rotisserie!
Boost the protein and make this a complete meal by serving it with grilled shrimp or prawns.
Put a Tex-Mex spin on it by adding black beans, white beans, corn kernels, diced bell peppers, salsa, and chopped cilantro.
Looking for a creamier version? This deviled egg pasta salad is a classic side dish, and we love it for cookouts.
Serving suggestions
Serve this cold pasta salad on a buffet for BBQs or cookouts. We love including platters of grilled proteins and pitchers of cool drinks such as iced green tea, homemade Gatorade, or butterfly pea tea for our guests.
Use a colorful bowl for the presentation alongside a pair of wooden salad servers.
Include a selection of other salads, such as this spicy crab salad or this cowboy caviar salad, for your guests to choose from.
Having a platter of fresh fruit, such as watermelon, grapes, berries, or citrus slices, can serve as a light and refreshing dessert after the pasta salad.
Another fabulous side dish for a BBQ is this tasty Smoked Corn on the Cob recipe. It is super simple but has awesome flavor.
FAQS
Yes, pasta salad is an excellent option. It travels well, and you can make a large batch to feed a crowd. Not having mayo in this salad makes it even more ideal, as it won’t spoil in the heat.
Yes, we actually recommended it! Making it a few hours or even a day in advance allows the flavors to meld together, boosting the taste. Just store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Storage tips
To Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. We do not recommend freezing pasta salad. Pasta can become mushy, and the vegetables may not hold up well after thawing.
More salad recipes
*Originally posted on April 26, 2022, updated July 21, 2023, and updated again April 8, 2026.*
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Easy Pasta Salad
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
- 2 cups dry penne pasta
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup sliced cucumber
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
FOR THE DRESSING
- 3 tbsp MCT oil or Olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp finely minced shallot or red onion
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta noodles according to the package directions. Once it is cooked, drain and rinse the pasta with cold water and spread it on a baking sheet to cool.
- Meanwhile, chop the vegetables and grate the cheese.
- Add the dressing ingredients to a small mason jar with a lid and shake really well.
- Place all of the salad ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Shake the dressing again and pour over the salad ingredients. Stir really well to coat everything with the dressing.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge until serving.
Video
Notes
Storage tips
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- We do not recommend freezing pasta salad. Pasta can become mushy, and the vegetables may not hold up well after thawing.
Love the dressing on this salad. Perfect for my barbecue this weekend!
Fresh, colorful, and really delicious. This salad is just perfect for warmer days.
Such a light and refreshing pasta salad! I love all the summertime flavors and colors. Looks so good!
Super fresh and delicious! We had this with grilled chicken and everyone loved it!!
Serving this for my daughter’s birthday this weekend! Looks too good to pass up; will make an excellent side dish, indeed!