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This is my go-to summer pasta salad – loaded with two types of cheese, two kinds of meat, a rainbow of crunchy bell peppers, sweet onion and a super tasty, zesty vinaigrette that brings it all together. Fresh, flavorful and always a hit!
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Pasta Salad
- Quick and easy to throw together: It’s ready in under 30 minutes! Even faster if you prep everything else while the pasta’s cooking!
- Perfect for any summer meal: We love it as a light main on hot days or as a tasty side with anything off the grill. Great for picnics too!
- Always a huge hit: This one always disappears fast at BBQs, cookouts and potlucks. Total crowd pleaser!
The Backstory
The Pasta Salad With An Identity Crisis
This is my go-to pasta salad recipe – the one I’ve been making my entire adult life. For years, I confidently called it “German pasta salad”. My husband did too (because why would I lie?). It was just the name.
Then one day, I got curious and did a little research… and surprise! Classic German pasta salads are creamy and usually packed with things like peas, eggs and German-style bologna – none of which you will find in this recipe!
So why was I calling it German pasta salad? Well, both of my parents are from Germany and this was the only pasta salad my mom ever made (I’ve added my own tweaks over time). Since she cooked tons of German dishes, I just figured this one was too. Turns out, it was just a combination she loved – and honestly, I get it. It’s SO GOOD.
It may not be traditionally German, but it still has some little German touches like Black Forest ham and German mustard in the dressing (but Dijon works too!).
Name confusion aside, this pasta salad will always be a go-to in our house. Hope you give it a try and fall in love with it too! 💛
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make my go-to pasta salad recipe:
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
- Pasta: Use any short-cut pasta that you like (e.g. cavatappi, fusilli, rotini, farfalle, etc.). I used cavatappi in the photos.
- Cheese: A mixture of cheddar (or gouda) and havarti cut into cubes.
- Salami: Cut any type of salami that you love into bite size pieces. I typically use Cervelat or German salami.
- Ham: I recommend using black forest ham (so good!). Cut it into bite size pieces.
- Bell Peppers: Use a rainbow of three different colored bell peppers. I like to use one green, one red and one yellow or orange pepper.
- Onion: Use a small red or sweet onion.
- Parsley: Chopped fresh parsley adds a nice pop of fresh, herby goodness.
- Dressing: This zesty, flavor-packed vinaigrette is made with avocado oil (or extra virgin olive oil), red wine vinegar, water, garlic, mustard, soy sauce (or tamari), a bit of cane sugar (for balance), sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. For the mustard, I like to use a medium hot German mustard (this one is my favorite) but Dijon mustard works great too!
How To Make My Go-To Summer Pasta Salad
This pasta salad comes together in no time – let me show you how to make it, step by step!
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 pound (454 grams) of short-cut pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until the pasta is totally cool. Drain well and place into a really large mixing bowl for easy tossing.
- Add the rest of the salad ingredients: Toss in 1 cup each of cubed cheddar or gouda and havarti, 1 cup chopped salami, 1 cup chopped Black Forest ham, diced red, green, and orange or yellow bell peppers, 1 small diced red or sweet onion, and ½ cup chopped fresh parsley.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup avocado oil (or extra virgin olive oil), ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup water, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tablespoons medium-hot German mustard (or Dijon mustard), 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons organic cane sugar, 2 teaspoons sea salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- Time to bring it all together: Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss everything together until it’s well mixed. Taste and tweak the seasoning if needed – I like to sprinkle in a bit of homemade bouillon powder or a seasoning salt. You can serve it right away or chill it in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes first.
3 Quick Tips
- Cook the pasta a little longer: Go 1-2 minutes past al dente. It keeps the pasta nice and soft even after it cools.
- Don’t panic if the dressing tastes salty: It should! It’s not for a delicate green salad. You’re seasoning plain pasta and raw veggies so the extra punch makes sure that everything is flavorful instead of bland.
- Eat it fresh: Some pasta salads benefit from a long chill time but this one is best within the first hour. So if you’re not serving it right away, keep the ingredients and dressing separate and mix together just before eating (or within an hour of serving).
FAQ
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. The pasta will absorb the vinaigrette so I like to toss through a little extra dressing before I eat the leftovers.
Kind of! This pasta salad is best served right away or after a quick 30–60 minute chill in the fridge. Otherwise, I find that it will start to dry out and the peppers lose their crunch. If you need to prep it further in advance, just keep the salad ingredients and dressing separate in the fridge, then toss it all together right before serving.
I know, rinsing pasta usually feels wrong but for pasta salad, it’s totally the move. The cold water cools it down quickly and stops it from overcooking. Plus, it gets rid of extra starch so your pasta doesn’t turn into one big sticky clump.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
Did you make my go-to pasta salad recipe? I would love to hear about it! Please leave me a comment below.
My Go-To Pasta Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is my go-to summer pasta salad – loaded with two types of cheese, two kinds of meat, a rainbow of crunchy bell peppers, sweet onion and a super tasty, zesty vinaigrette that brings it all together. Fresh, flavorful and always a hit!
Ingredients
For the pasta salad:
- 1 pound (454 grams) uncooked short-cut pasta (e.g. cavatappi, fusilli, rotini, etc.)
- 1 cup cubed cheddar or gouda cheese
- 1 cup cubed havarti cheese
- 1 cup chopped salami (cut into bite size pieces)
- 1 cup chopped black forest ham (cut into bite size pieces)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 small red or sweet onion, diced
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
For the dressing:
- ½ cup avocado oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons medium-hot German mustard (or Dijon)
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce (or tamari)
- 2 teaspoons organic cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water until the pasta is cooled. Drain well and place in a really large mixing bowl for easy tossing.
- Add remaining salad ingredients: Toss the remaining salad ingredients into the bowl with the pasta.
- Make dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl (or shake together in a jar).
- Combine: Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss everything together until it’s well mixed. Adjust the seasoning to taste – I like to sprinkle in a bit of homemade bouillon powder or a seasoning salt. Serve it right away or chill it in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes first.
Notes
- Mustard: For the mustard in the dressing, I like to use a medium hot German mustard (this one is my favorite) but Dijon mustard works great too!
- Cook the pasta a little longer: Go 1-2 minutes past al dente. It keeps the pasta nice and soft even after it cools.
- Don’t panic if the dressing tastes salty – It should! This is not a dressing for a delicate green salad. You’re seasoning plain pasta and raw veggies so the extra seasoning makes sure that everything is flavorful instead of bland.
- Make Ahead: This is one of those pasta salads that tastes best served right away (or after a 30-60 minute chill in the fridge). Otherwise, I find that the peppers lose their crunch and the pasta starts to absorb all the vinaigrette and dry out. So if you need to prep it further in advance, keep the salad ingredients and dressing separate in the fridge, and mix together just before eating (or within an hour of serving).
