Memorial Day Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Colorful pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and Italian dressing—chilled, bright, and crowd-friendly.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 350 g (12 oz) rotini or fusilli pasta

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
07 - 1/2 cup shredded carrots
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dressing

09 - 3/4 cup Italian dressing (store-bought or homemade)
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Add-ins

11 - 1/2 cup cubed mozzarella or feta cheese
12 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
02 - In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, carrots, and parsley.
03 - Pour Italian dressing over the salad. Toss gently to combine and season with salt and pepper as needed.
04 - If desired, add in mozzarella, feta, or Parmesan cheese and toss again.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It somehow tastes even better after chilling, so you can make it ahead and avoid last-minute panic.
  • Whenever I bring this to gatherings, the bowl always comes back empty, which I take as a solid endorsement.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the pasta, it can go gummy—and nobody likes sticky salad spirals.
  • Letting it chill truly transforms the flavors, so patience pays off here.
03 -
  • Better to under-dress slightly at first—pasta absorbs liquid as it chills, so you can adjust just before serving.
  • If using store dressing, add a squeeze of fresh lemon and some chopped herbs to brighten it up instantly.
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