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Potluck Pasta Salad is filled with bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, red onion, and mozzarella, all chopped small so every bite gets a little bit of everything. It’s a light, tangy classic that’s just as good whether you serve it warm, cold, or room temperature. And, at our house, you’ll find this on the table all through the summer.
What I love most about this pasta salad recipe is what it leaves out. Now, I have nothing against mayo (I promise!). If we’re indoors, then my bacon pasta salad and tuna apple pasta salad are excellent alternatives. But, with no mayo to spoil in the heat, this is an easy, worry-free dish to bring to any summer gathering.
Potluck Pasta Salad
This pasta salad has become one of my go-to favorites when I need a dish that travels well and doesn’t need babysitting on a hot day. I’ve got a long list of favorites, but this one is special to my heart.
The method is endlessly versatile. I can just open the crisper drawer and chop up whatever I have on hand, and it just works. That’s why this is the non-mayo pasta salad that I bring to pretty much every cookout.
In the summertime, I make a double or triple batch of pasta salads like this one almost every week. The leftovers keep beautifully, which means a quick lunch is already waiting in the fridge the next day.
I’m now a solo diner so cut the recipe in half and added canned albacore tuna to make a light refreshing meal in the 110 degree heat in Las Vegas. Was great and I know leftovers will be even better. Thanks for the reminder to do a cold supper when needed!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Pasta – You want a small, bite-size shape here. Elbow, fusilli, ditalini and penne are all great options.
The Dressing – I use red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil for the dressing. That simplicity is the whole point. With no mayo, nothing can spoil.
Red Onion – I never leave the red onion out. It brings a sharp, fresh bite that wakes the whole salad up. You can adjust the amount, as a little goes a long way.
Grape Tomatoes – You’ll find that grape tomatoes are sweet and firm, so they keep their shape in the bowl after being tossed. I love the juicy pop and tang that they add to the mix.
Bell Pepper – Reach for whatever color you like best. Red and yellow run sweeter, green is sharper. Either way, the pepper adds wonderful crunch.
Black Olives – Briny and a little salty, you’ll find that olives add a savory depth that the other fresh vegetables can’t bring on their own.
Mozzarella – My go-to cheese with this salad is mozzarella. It’s soft and mild, and adds just a little creamy texture to the salad.
Fresh Parsley – Please don’t skip the parsley. The final finish adds a brightness that lifts the whole salad.
Salt & Pepper – Unless I tell you otherwise, it’s always going to be kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper in my recipes.
Notes on Equipment
- Large pot – This guy has been an absolute work horse in my kitchen. It does so much on the stovetop (like boiling pasta for this recipe), and doesn’t flinch at some time in the oven, either.
- Colander
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing Bowl – I absolutely love this stainless steel mixing bowl. It’s a total workhorse, and it handles pretty much everything with ease, from mixing batters to tossing salads. And the non-slip base keeps it firmly in place while you work.
How to Make Potluck Pasta Salad
Boiling the Water: Fill a large pot with about 3-4 inches of water and set it over a burner at high heat.
Chopping the Vegetables: While the water heats up, I get out my knife and get to work. Halve the tomatoes, chop the bell pepper small, cut the red onion into short slivers, dice the mozzarella, and then chop the parsley. You’ll need to drain the olives, too.
Cooking the Pasta: At some point while prepping the vegetables, the water will reach a boil, and you’ll need to add the pasta. I boil it for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente.
Draining the Pasta: As soon as the pasta finishes, remove it from the heat and strain it with a colander. I don’t rinse this pasta, because we’re going to combine it with the dressing and vegetables while it’s still warm. (This will help it soak up the dressing!)
Whisking the Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, I’ll combine the olive oil and red wine vinegar and give them a whisk to combine them.
Adding the Vegetables: Scoop the onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, and drained, sliced olives into the bowl. I give them a quick toss in the dressing.
Tossing in the Pasta: After that, you’ll add the still warm pasta to the bowl and toss everything until it is well coated.
Folding In The Cheese: I fold in the diced mozzarella and the chopped parsley last. (Bonus points, if you get this reference.) This keeps the soft cheese cubes intact instead of getting smeared into the dressing.
Seasoning: At the end, we season with salt and pepper. But use a light hand. You can always add a little more of either, but you can’t take it out.
Serving: You can serve this right away while the pasta is still a touch warm, or cover it and chill it until you’re ready. Both are fabulous.
Expert Tip
The pasta keeps drinking up the dressing as it sits, so a bowl that looks perfectly coated the moment you mix it can feel a little dry after a few hours in the fridge. I find that salads like this benefit from a bit more dressing than you might initially think it needs.
Slightly Soft Pasta – Be sure to stop cooking the pasta once it reaches an al dente texture. The pasta will continue to soften slightly as it cools down and when it sits in the dressing.
Use Good Olive Oil – Because this dressing is just oil and vinegar, it will benefit from the flavor of a quality oil. You don’t have to get fancy, or go crazy expensive. Just give the oil a sniff and know that you’re going to taste it when you add it to the salad.
Taste the Vinegar – Red wine vinegars vary a lot in sharpness. Taste yours and start a little light on it. You can always whisk in more, but there’s no taking it back once the salad has gone too sharp.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta salad was born to sit next to a sandwich. For an easy Saturday lunch, I just set it out next to a batch of my chicken parm sliders or these pizza sliders. It disappears just as fast as they do.
When we’re hosting company for a summer gathering, it holds its own next to crock-pot bbq brisket sandwiches or even one of my build your own hot dog bars. And, it’s the potluck pasta salad I bring with me when going to someone else’s barbecue, because the cool, tangy pasta salad pretty much never misses, no matter what is on the grill.
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: This salad is a make-ahead dream. You can build the whole thing a day in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. If you’d rather the dressing not soak in quite so far, cook the pasta and chop the vegetables separately, then toss everything together a few hours before serving.
How to Store: Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. I just give the salad a quick toss before serving, since the dressing settles to the bottom as it sits.
More Potluck Side Dish Recipes
Yes, but with a warning! Gluten free pastas are not all created equal. My favorite brand is Tinkyada and it is the ONLY brand I’ve found that doesn’t turn gritty and weird when served cold in a pasta salad. (Also, I don’t buy it online. I can usually find it locally in the grocery store.)
Now you’re speaking my language. This salad takes well to a protein. Cubed ham and chopped grilled chicken both work. Or, even a can of chickpeas if you want to keep it vegetarian. I just make sure that any add-in is cut small so it stays in proportion with the rest of the salad.
Pasta (any starch, really) will keep absorbing liquid while it sits in the fridge. If your pasta salad feels a bit dry, just whisk up a little extra olive oil and red wine vinegar and toss it through just before serving to bring it right back.
Potluck Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces small bite-size pasta: elbow, fusilli, penne etc
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced and chopped small
- 16 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 large bell pepper, any color, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2.25 ounce can of sliced black olives, drained
- 4 ounces Mozzarella cheese, diced small
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped small
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to directions, removing from the heat when it's al dente and setting the pasta aside in the colander to drain.
- Combine the olive oil and vinegar in a large mixing bowl. Add the onions, tomato, bell pepper, and olives to the bowl. Add the still warm pasta and toss well to coat thoroughly.
- Add the mozzarella and the parsley to the salad, along with the salt and pepper. Toss to mix throughout. Taste and add more salt and pepper, only as needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m now a solo diner so cut the recipe in half and added canned albacore tuna to make a light refreshing meal in the 110 degree heat in Las Vegas. Was great and I know leftovers will be even better. Thanks for the reminder to do a cold supper when needed!
I’m glad you liked it, Terry!