Some days I want food but I don’t want to do food. You know?
This pasta salad fixes that. No overthinking. It just sort of makes itself while you wander around pretending to be productive. You boil the pasta. You chop whatever’s not wilted in the fridge. Then dump it all in a bowl with dressing. Stir. That’s it.
The flavor gets better if you forget about it for a few hours. Something about cold pasta soaking up all the stuff. I don’t know. I’m not a scientist. It just works.
I eat it straight from the container like it’s a personality trait. Or I put it in a nice bowl and act like I tried. Depends on the day.
Anyway. It’s easy. It’s good. It keeps. That’s enough for me.
Simple Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Boil the pasta in salted water until it’s done. However long the box says. When it’s ready, drain it. Rinse it if you want it cold faster. I do.
- While the pasta cooks, chop whatever vegetables you’re using. Tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion. Nothing has to be perfect. Throw everything into a big bowl.
- Add the cooked pasta to the bowl with the vegetables. Pour in some of the dressing. Not all of it. Stir it around and see how it looks.
- Taste it. Add salt and pepper if it feels flat. Maybe a pinch of oregano if you remember.
- You can eat it right away. Or cover it and put it in the fridge for a bit. It gets better after some time sitting.
- Before serving, give it another stir. Add more dressing if it looks dry. Eat it straight from the bowl or pretend you plated it nicely.
Notes
Ingredients
A box of pasta. I usually grab rotini or penne. Whatever’s in the pantry.
Cherry tomatoes. A handful. Maybe more. Halved if I’m feeling focused.
Bell pepper. One’s enough. Red or yellow. Or both if it’s that kind of day.
Cucumber. Optional. But I like the crunch.
Red onion. Just a bit. Thin slices. Unless you love onion, then go for it.
Italian dressing. Store-bought is fine. Homemade if you’re fancy.
Black olives. I forget them half the time. Still good without.
Feta or mozzarella cubes. One or the other. Sometimes both.
Salt. Pepper. Maybe a pinch of oregano if I remember.
Parsley for looks. Or skip it. Tastes the same.
Instructions
Boil the pasta first. That’s the only real cooking part, and even that feels like too much sometimes. Salt the water or don’t. I do, but I’ve also forgotten and survived.
While that’s going, chop your stuff. Tomatoes. Peppers. Whatever else made the cut today. Throw it all in a big bowl. Doesn’t have to look pretty. It’s going to get mixed anyway.
Drain the pasta when it’s done Rinse it if you want it cold faster. People argue about that. I rinse. I like cold pasta.
Toss the pasta in with the veggies. Pour on the dressing. Start with less than you think. You can always add more. Stir it around until everything looks coated. Taste it. Add salt or pepper if it feels boring.
Stick it in the fridge. Or eat it warm. I’m not here to judge.
Tips & Tricks
If you’re eating it right away. maybe let it sit for like ten minutes. Just enough time for stuff to stop steaming and the dressing to soak in a bit. Sometimes I forget and just dive in. Still tastes fine.
If you’re making it ahead, toss it again before serving. The dressing likes to disappear while it’s chilling. Add a splash more if it looks dry. Or don’t. Depends how you like it.
You can throw in extra stuff now too. Cheese. Leftover chicken. Whatever’s hanging around. It’s not precious.
I usually eat it out of the mixing bowl. Less dishes.
Substitutions & Variations
Sometimes I eat it standing up. Fridge open. Just a fork and whatever’s left in the container.
Other times I try to be a person and put it in a bowl. Add some fresh herbs. Maybe a squeeze of lemon if I’m feeling extra.
It works either way. You don’t have to think too hard about it. That’s kind of the point.
It’s a lazy salad. In the best way.
Frequently Asked Questions
People always ask how long it lasts. I don’t know. A few days? Mine never makes it past day four. By then it’s either gone or I’ve picked out all the good stuff.
If you’re bringing it somewhere, make it the night before. Saves you stress. Tastes better cold anyway.
Just keep it chilled. It’s not the kind of thing that likes sitting out in the sun for hours. Learned that the hard way once Won’t do it again.
Oh, and don’t skip the salt. Pasta salad without salt tastes like wet noodles pretending to be something else.
Nutrition Information
Sometimes I get bored of it and still eat it anyway, Other times I mess with it just to keep it interesting.
You can swap the pasta. Try orzo. Or shells. I used bowties once just because the box was open. It didn’t change my life, but it worked.
Vegan? Cool. Skip the cheese. Use a plant-based dressing. Still good.
Got allergies? Skip what bothers you. There’s no pasta salad police.
You can make it spicy too. Toss in some pepperoncini or crushed red pepper. Wakes it up a little.
It’s flexible. Like, deeply lazy-person friendly.
Conclusion
One time someone asked if it’s “healthy.” I just blinked at them. I mean, it’s not cake. It’s got vegetables. That’s something.
It’s not a salad pretending to be a meal. It’s a meal pretending to be a salad Which is honestly better.
If you care about numbers, fine. The calories probably land somewhere in the 300s per serving. Depends what you throw in. Cheese bumps it. Dressing too. You can look it up if you want. I usually don’t.
If you want it lighter, go easy on the dressing Add more veggies. Skip the cheese. Or don’t. Eat what makes you feel like a person.
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