Best Ever Summer Pasta Salad

My Best Ever Summer Pasta Salad is loaded with succulent cherry tomatoes, refreshing cucumbers, crunchy red onion, salty black olives, buttery Colby cheese, and savory salami. The veggies and pasta are tossed with a tangy Italian dressing for the perfect finish to a spectacularly colorful and delicious salad.

Pasta salads are a staple for summer entertaining and easy to make! Plus, they’re perfect for customizing, and my recipe is no exception. You’ll find many tasty ways to make this pasta salad unique and satisfying, no matter the occasion.

This chilled summer pasta salad is zesty and versatile. It can be served as a side item at BBQs or as an entree. This pasta salad will be a repeat all through the summer season.

Ingredients Needed

Tri-Color Rotini Pasta – Use your favorite brand. You can swap it out for any short pasta, such as fusilli, bowtie, penne, or elbow macaroni.
English Cucumber – diced. Can peel it or leave the skin on!
Cherry Tomatoes – cut in half.
Red Onion – diced. You can use white or yellow instead.
Sliced Black Olives – drain your favorite brand before adding to the salad.
Colby Cheese – cubed.
Salami – cubed.
Salad Supreme Seasoning – adds a punch of spiciness and seasoning to the pasta salad.
Italian Dressing– I use Olive Garden Signature Italian dressing, but you can also use your favorite brand.

How To Make The Best Ever Summer Pasta Salad

STEP 1: Cook and drain your pasta and set it aside to cool.
STEP 2: Dice the cucumber and onion and cut the tomatoes in half.
STEP 3: Add the cooled pasta, cucumber, tomato, onion, olives, cheese, salami, seasoning, and dressing to a large bowl.
STEP 4: Toss gently until it’s all combined.
STEP 5: Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

What Is Rotini Pasta?

A short pasta, rotini pasta is known for its corkscrew shape. The spiral shape is perfect for recipes that incorporate dressings or sauces since the curves of the pasta help “trap” the sauce, lending a more flavorful forkful to be enjoyed in every bite.

Can I Use A Different Pasta?

Sure! Some great short-shaped pasta ideas are fusilli, bowtie, penne, or even elbow macaroni.

Pasta Cooking Tips

Cook the pasta ahead of time, drain it, and let it cool completely before mixing the other ingredients. Cook it to al dente. This keeps the pasta from becoming mushy, especially after you add the dressing.

Variations

You can customize this salad with what you have on hand or according to your personal preferences. Here are some delicious ideas.

• Meat: Swap the salami for pepperoni, cooked chopped ham, or chicken.
• Legumes: Add drained and rinsed kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, or green peas.
• Vegetables: You can swap out or add veggies of your choice, such as shredded carrots, chopped celery, chopped bell peppers, lightly steamed or sautéed broccoli, squash, or asparagus.
• Meatless: Leave out any meat and add extra vegetables.
• Cheese: Swap out the cubed colby cheese for cheddar, swiss, tiny mozzarella pearls, or even crumbled feta cheese

Can I Make This Ahead?

Yes, and you should! It needs to chill for at least 1 hour before serving, but I like to make it the night before so it has a chance to let all the flavors develop while in the fridge.

What To Serve With My Best Ever Summer Pasta Salad

This salad is perfect for summer cookouts, potlucks, and picnics! Here are some ideas for serving it.

This summer salad pairs well with entrées, such as my Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef, my Copycat Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich, my easy Air Fryer Hamburgers or my tasty Beer Can Burgers. It’s also perfect with my Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken. Add a yummy side with my Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Baked Beans and finish the meal with my amazing Strawberry Crunch Brownies.

Storage

Store the leftovers, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Delicious Summer Salad Recipes

Creamy Macaroni Salad
Bacon Cheddar Ranch Potato Salad
Easy Grape Salad
Greek Bean Salad
Watermelon Blueberry Mint Salad
Best Broccoli Bacon Salad
Mandarin Marshmallow Fluff