
The starchy exterior of the warm pasta will add body to the vinaigrette, and the residual heat will help the pasta absorb all those big, bold flavors. (It even works well with some tortellini if you want to get adventurous.) Once the pasta is cooked, don’t rinse it under cold water as some other recipes suggest. (The best pasta salad is, of course, the one catered to your tastes-though you may want to adjust the lemon, vinegar, and olive oil to balance the flavors.) This recipe calls for orecchiette, but you can also make it with pretty much any short or round pasta, including penne, rotini, and macaroni. Add in sweet bell pepper, marinated artichoke hearts, or pickled red peppers swap out the Parmesan cheese for crumbled Greek feta cheese, or the oregano for fresh parsley. Feel free to adjust the ingredients based on what you like or have on hand. It also uses salty Kalamata olives in place of the usual wan black olives, and has banana peppers for a tangy kick.

Classic macaroni salad hellmans full#
This version riffs on classic Italian pasta salad-it has the mozzarella cheese, cherry or grape tomatoes, and zesty Italian-dressing-like flavor you’d expect from the best deli-style salads-but it’s meat-free and full of delicious zucchini and fresh herbs.

The crowd favorite is a great addition to a picnic or potluck, it’s an ideal side dish for a cookout, and it makes a wonderful dinner for a hot night when you don’t want to stand over the stove for too long.

A good pasta salad recipe can be used for almost any summer meal.
