This recipe for simple Pasta Salad makes a quick and delicious lunch or is perfect for preparing ahead for picnics or barbecues.
Why not serve with Moroccan spiced vegetable couscous for the perfect picnic partner?
Today was my son’s last day of school (finally). They finish quite late in the UK and I start itching to have my son home with me in mid-June when friends back home start to post on Facebook that school’s out.
They have a family picnic on the last day of school. It’s a really nice day for the kids and parents alike. I made a huge batch of this salad for it and it was the only thing that was eaten without a trace of anything left in the container (except my chocolate chip cookies)!
Why This Recipe Works
- The vinegar and mayonnaise are a creamy and tangy base for the pasta.
- Bacon and cucumbers make for a salty and crunchy texture everyone will love.
- It’s perfect for making it into a lunch to take to work and eat at your desk.
Ingredient Notes
- Pasta: I used curly pasta, but you can use any pasta shape you like.
- Bacon: Thin sliced bacon is perfect for this because it’s wonderfully crispy when cooked.
- Cucumber: Seedless work best. I like to cube my cucumber into a pasta salad, but you can shave it in ribbons or slices.
- Mayonnaise: This recipe calls for full-fat mayonnaise, but you can use light mayonnaise or even sour cream.
- Vinegar: I have used white, red and balsamic. Please note that balsamic vinegar will change the color of the dressing.
- Herbs: I use parsley, but others have reported cilantro and basil are both great options.
There is nothing better than a big bowl of delicious pasta salad on a hot day! This is my favorite recipe, the bacon & green onions, add a different spin on your everyday macaroni salad.
It’s one of my favorite things to make in the summertime because you can eat however much you like, and it’s a very fresh and light meal in the hot weather, especially when you don’t feel like cooking or heating up the kitchen.
Just throw it all into a bowl and mix it up! Super easy, and super delicious!
How To Make Best Ever Easy Pasta Salad
- Put cooked pasta in a large bowl.
- Add diced cucumber, bacon and green onions.
- Mix in mayonnaise, mustard, and balsamic vinegar.
- Season to taste.
- Serve and enjoy!
Step By Step Instructions
Chop the salad ingredients and place in a large bowl.
Place the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard and seasoning in a bowl.
Whisk until fully combined.
Pour the mayonnaise mixture into the salad ingredients.
Mix the mayonnaise dressing into the salad ingredients until fully coated.
Serve and enjoy!
Tips & Variations
- Have leftover chicken? Chop it up into cubes and add to make this a main meal.
- For a lower fat option, use low-fat mayonnaise.
- Use your favorite salad dressing, there are no hard and fast rules here!
- Bulk it up with some crumbled feta cheese or mozzarella balls.
- Spice up your pasta salad with some flaked red pepper.
- Make the pasta salad ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for a day before to let the flavors soak in.
Food Safety For Warmer Weather
- To prevent rapidly growing bacteria from forming, Food shouldn’t be unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours or limit the time to one hour if the outdoor temperature is higher than 90° F.
FAQs
You can make this pasta salad the day before, it tastes even better when it’s left in the fridge to rest.
You can keep your pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Other Great Summer Recipes
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Let’s Make Best Ever Easy Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 strips of bacon cooked and chopped
- 2 cups dried pasta cooked, cooled, and drained
- ½ teaspoon mustard
- ½ cup mayonnaise plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons vinegar white, red or or *balsamic
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 green onions sliced into rounds
- ½ cup cucumber chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt & pepper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the bacon, pasta, cucumber, and green onions.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. Store covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
Tips + Notes
- Be sure not to overcook your pasta to avoid bloating.
- Make the pasta salad ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for a day before to let the flavors soak in.
Nutrition Information:
Update Notes: This post was originally published in July of 2014, but was republished with tips, FAQs, and variations in June of 2021.
Carmelita Puno says
Just by the look of it, I already love it. This will be my 2nd best in the pasta salad family. My first is the Chicken Macaroni salad. Thank you very much…
Erren's Kitchen says
Glad I could help Carmelita!
Martha says
hello thank you but i have a question like we dont have red wine vingar or balsmic vingar should i try just vingar ?
CWoods says
This is so good!!! I just made it and had a bit for lunch. I can’t wait until it’s chilled and I have it for dinner.
Linda Powell says
Awesome! Had an overload of spring onions, so I found this recipe. I didn’t have any cucumber so I substituted with tomato. This recipe will be passed down as a family favorite! Thank you for this great twist on pasta salad! Can’t wait to try it with cucumber! The Balsamic is the bomb! Shared it on Facebook…hope you don’t mind!
Erren says
Hi Linda, so glad you liked it! 🙂 I don’t mind at all if you share on FB, but I do ask that you link to my site rather than list the recipe. Thanks so much!
Linda Powell says
Absolutely! Making this again today!
Linda Powell says
I have made this at least 5 times now…I just can not get enough!
Erren says
Hi Linda, That’s so great to hear! So Happy you are enjoying it! 🙂
Ann says
Hi Erren. This looks so good. I can’t wait to make it. Your measurements for pasta, is it 2 cups cooked pasta or 2 cups before it’s cooked? Also your salad looks so creamy but balsamic and red wine vinegars are dark. How do you keep yours so creamy? Did you use regular yellow mustard or brown mustard or a French mustard? So sorry for all of the questions, I just want to make it correctly. Thank you again! Ann
Erren says
Hi Ann, it’s 2 cups dry pasta before being cooked. For the photos I used red wine vinegar, so the balsamic will give it a brown tone (but it tastes great). I used yellow mustard. I hope you like it!
Ann says
Hi Erren,
Thanks so much for responding so quickly! I can’t wait to make it. It looks soooo good! I know I’ll love it. I will let you know how good it is after I make it! :)…Ann
Karen says
Did you use a white balsamic vinegar? My salad, though delicious, had a brown tone from using balsamic vinegar.
Kristin says
I just wanted to know if you have a mistake in the recipe. Do you really use 12 strips of bacon? I had 5 strips and for the quantity of pasta, it was still quite a bit (and I am a fan of bacon!) However — We loved this pasta salad and I’m so glad I found it on Pinterest!
Erren says
Hi Kistin, It’s not a mistake. It’s what I use, but it is a matter of taste. I’m so glad you liked it!
Linda Powell says
I LOVE the bacon!
Sandra says
Hi Erren, I am making this now and wanted to know how your mayo mixture is cream coloured when you have used balsamic vinegar, my mixture is like a coffee latte colour, tastes fine though and what mustard type, I only had french mustard…..
Sandra says
I am making this to take to a BBQ tomorrow, nice and simple and looks great. thank you for sharing..
Erren says
So sorry for the late reply. I haven’t been well for some time and the app on my phone doesn’t allow me to reply to comments. I don’t like posts to go unanswered though so just wanted to say thanks for the feedback and I am so glad you like the recipe. I hope it worked out well for you!
Karen says
This salad is wonderful After I made it a couple times my son suggested that I add tomato. It is a great addition and I will be doing that every time I make it. As of right now it is a weekly addition to our menu.
Erren says
Hi Karen, I’m so glad you and your family like it! I’m not that keen on raw tomatoes, but I can see how it would work really well with it. Thanks so much for letting me know!
kim says
Erren,
Did you use mustard powder or the mustard out of a bottle? I am assuming the latter, but I want to make sure.
Kim
Erren says
Hi Kim,
Mustard out of the bottle. Hope you like it!