Everyone needs an easy pasta salad recipe in their recipe box… does anyone even have recipe boxes anymore?  Ok, maybe you just need it in your head or on your Pinterest.

This one is so easy you won’t even need a recipe card for it.  Great to bring as a side dish since it can be served warm or cold.  Serves 8-12.

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My mom is the one that started making this easy pasta salad.  I’ve made it for a lot of parties because it’s so easy and low maintenance.  You can make it ahead of time which is always a plus!

It’s 4 ingredients- rotini pasta, Italian dressing, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

I was excited to use cucumbers and tomatoes from my own garden this time.  Cucumbers are so finicky so I always buy extra when I’m making any recipe with them included.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve went to make something and the cucumbers don’t taste right.

You’ll notice in the pictures, my cucumbers were a little white instead of green but they tasted really good.  I think I didn’t let them sit on the vine long enough, maybe?!?

I’m not a big fan of some salad dressings that are low fat or fat free.  Especially ranch!  But Italian dressing is one that doesn’t bother me either way.

So feel free to buy whichever you prefer.

I used about 1 tomato and 1 1/2 cucumbers for this pot of pasta salad.  My husband isn’t a big tomato fan and he ate almost all of this.  He takes it to lunch since it’s so easy and doesn’t need to be heated.  You can add more cucumber and tomato according to your likes.

You could also add peppers, olives, pepperonis, etc.

If you make this, let me know what you think in the comments below?  I’d love to know if you added any extra vegetables or meats for even more flavor.

5 from 1 vote

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Easy Pasta Salad

Only 4 ingredients make this easy pasta salad a great side dish.  Wonderful for parties since it can be served warm or cold.  

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword cold side dish, party side dish, pasta salad, side dish

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 box rotini pasta 16oz
• 1 bottle Italian Dressing 16oz.
• 1-2 ea tomatoes, diced
• 1-2 ea cucumbers, diced

Instructions

1. Cook the rotini pasta according to the box directions.  Drain when cooked.

2. Dice the tomatoes and cucumbers while the pasta is cooking.

3. Once the pasta is drained, put it back in the same pot or in a large bowl.  Add the Italian dressing, tomatoes, and cucumbers.  Stir to combine.  Serve warm or refrigerate until ready to serve and serve cold.