I’ve made this fresh and easy pasta salad recipe so many times that I’ve lost count.

 

My favorite pasta salad is ready in under 20 minutes, and it actually improves with time, making it an ideal make-ahead dish for cookouts, picnics, and summer gatherings.

While the pasta is cooking, you can easily prepare all the other ingredients for the salad. I’m particularly fond of the vinaigrette-style dressing—it’s wonderfully zesty, peppy, and incredibly simple! This version is mayo-free, but if you prefer a creamy pasta salad, I also have a delicious macaroni salad recipe that you'll love..macaroni salad.

**Pasta:** The best pasta for pasta salad includes hearty shapes like penne, fusilli, rotini, and farfalle (bow tie). These varieties have lots of nooks and crannies to trap the dressing and bits of cheese. Orzo and pearl couscous are also great options, as used in lemon orzo pasta salad and easy couscous salad recipes. Orzo and pearl couscous are also great options, as used in lemon orzo pasta salad and easy couscous salad recipes.

*Veggies:** A variety of vegetables add color, flavor, and crunch to pasta salad. Cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini (trust me on this one), and green onions (milder than regular onions) are excellent choices.

**Cheese:** Fresh mozzarella and parmesan cheese are my favorites. The shredded parmesan almost melts into the dressing, enhancing the flavor. For a vegan pasta salad, simply omit the cheese.

**Olives:** The briny bite of olives is a wonderful addition. Kalamata or green olives work best.

**Pepperoncini Peppers:** These peppers are a fantastic addition, and adding a bit of their brine to the dressing makes it even better.

**Fresh Herbs:** Basil and parsley are my go-to herbs. Feel free to experiment with other herbs to find what you love.