Our Favorite Pasta Salad Recipe (With Secret Ingredient) (2024)

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Our favorite pasta salad recipe is sure to become a staple in your home too. The secret is all in the dressing, and it’s a store-bought dressing which makes it even easier!

I’m a big soup and salad girl. I could eat it several times a week. Pasta salad is fun to make and fun to switch up. Make a big batch and bring it to a summer potluck, but only if you don’t care about having any leftovers.

The beauty of this salad is that it is a dump and go, clean out the refrigerator and pantry type of salad. My friend, Shelley, made the BEST pasta salad when we lived in Alaska and shared her secret ingredient with me. I’ve been making my pasta salad with it ever since and it really does make all the difference! As far as pasta salad add-ins, just use whatever you have on hand. The recipe below is just a basic recipe. I change it up a bit each time I make it, and it is amazing the second day too. Perfect for lunch leftovers!

Ok, ready for the secret ingredients? Grab a pen so that you can add it to your grocery list immediately. Newman’s Own: Family Recipe Italian salad dressing. You can find it at any grocery store. NOT sponsored, although it should be. I’ve shared this tip with so many friends over the years. You’re welcome!

More salad recipes that you’ll want to try!

BLT Pasta Salad Recipe:This classicBLT pasta saladrecipe combines crispy bacon, locally grown produce from Walmart, and bow tie pasta. Tossed in a creamy ranch dressing, it’s sure to be a hit at any gathering!

Chopped Italian Salad: A beautiful chopped Italian salad, that is as colorful as it is delicious!

Rotisserie Chicken Salad Sandwiches: A delicious and simple chicken salad sandwich recipe that uses rotisserie chicken! These rotisserie chicken salad sandwiches are perfect for luncheons and are even better the next day!

Hellmann’s Original Potato Salad Recipe: Creamy, tangy and delicious. No summer is complete without this traditional Hellmann’s potato salad recipe!

Quick and Easy Chinese Chicken Salad: Another simple salad recipe, made AMAZING, all because of a bottle of store-bought dressing. I love quick short cuts like this. It’s a good one!

What other ingredients can you add to pasta salads?

The recipe below is just a basic list. Some of our other favorite add-ins include cheese tortellini, marinated artichoke hearts, banana peppers, mozzarella balls, green onions, red onions, diced ham, diced chicken, fresh spinach…the list goes on! Like I said before, just clean out the refrigerator and pantry!

How many servings does this pasta salad make?

It will easily serve 12.

Can you make this pasta salad recipe ahead of time?

One of the best things about a pasta salad is that it does not need to be served immediately. You can make it a day in advance and splash on a bit more dressing right before serving.

Favorite Pasta Salad Recipe (Printable Version)