Fresh veggies, sweet Vidalia onions, and olives are tossed with whole wheat pasta in a light lemon dressing to make the perfect Penne Pasta Salad! This extra-easy recipe is excellent for customizing with your favorite ingredients when you need a fast, delicious side dish.
As a light lunch for potlucks or BBQs, my Best Caprese Pasta Salad or Mediterranean Pasta Salad are tried-and-true favorites.
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I could eat this fresh and tangy pasta salad almost every day. I have it on repeat in the summer for lunch, and it’s my go-to with grilled steak, pork, or chicken. It’s crazy easy, with just a few fresh, seasonal ingredients tossed in a homemade light, bright dressing. You get it, right? This healthy pasta salad recipe makes me feel good. It’s like a salad best friend!
Ingredients Needed For This Recipe
- Penne Pasta – I use whole wheat in this recipe.
- Fresh Baby Spinach and Kalamata Olives
- Cherry Tomatoes – grape tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, or any variation you like.
- Vidalia Onion – red onion also works well in this recipe.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Fresh Lemon Juice – you can substitute red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper
Variations For Penne Pasta Salad
- Add more veggies, such as cucumbers, bell peppers, green beans, corn, shaved Brussels sprouts, or green peas. Leafy greens like kale or arugula are also yummy in this salad.
- Toss in fresh basil, oregano, thyme, or parsley for freshness.
- Change the Parmesan cheese for Feta, cheddar, mozzarella, or Pepper Jack.
- Turn it into a main dish with bacon and leftover chicken, salmon, or steak.
Dressing For Pasta Salad
This super easy recipe has a quick and simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, but you can easily change things up a bit. Remember to use good ingredients so each salad component can shine through without being overpowered.
Some of my favorite penne pasta salad dressings are my Homemade Greek Salad Dressing, Creamy Vinaigrette, or Green Goddess Dressing.
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Tips For Making The Best Cold Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta al dente, meaning it has a slight bite. Overcooked pasta can become mushy, and no one wants a mushy pasta salad.
- Don’t overdress the salad. Start with a small amount of dressing and gradually add more as needed.
- Allow the salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This helps the flavors meld together and enhances the overall taste.
Can I Make This Pasta Salad Ahead Of Time?
Absolutely. Pasta salad recipes are great for making ahead of time. This salad stays in the fridge in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Before serving, I remove the salad from the fridge and sit the container on the counter for about 15 minutes. Then, I stir the ingredients to mix in any dressing that may have settled.
Frequently Asked Questions With Answers
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to the package instructions until it is al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop cooking.
Sure! Even though it’s called penne pasta salad, you can use any type of pasta noodles that you like. Macaroni, bow tie, and rigatoni are great in this salad.
Store the salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
What To Serve Penne Pasta Salad With Veggies
I’m crazy about this salad for lunch, but it also makes a great side dish, especially with anything cooked on the grill. Serve it with BBQ Chicken Legs, Air Fryer Chicken Legs, Oven Baked BBQ Chicken, Roast Beef Sandwiches, or Crock Pot Country Style Pork Ribs.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat penne pasta
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes – halved
- 1 cup Kalamata olives – halved
- ½ cup sliced Vidalia onion
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salty water according to package directions, about 11 minutes or al dente.
- While pasta is cooking, slice tomatoes, olives and onion, set aside.
- Wash spinach and trim any stems.
- When pasta is almost finished cooking, add spinach to the pot. Cook for 1 minute. This will wilt the spinach just enough to be tender. ***You can skip cooking the pasta if desired***
- Drain pasta and spinach and place in a large bowl. Add tomatoes, olives and onion. Toss gently.
- Drizzle on olive oil, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss.
- Top with shaved Parmesan cheese and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour, allowing the flavors to come together.
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Notes
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to the package instructions until it is al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop cooking.
- This recipe is great for making ahead of when you want to serve it. It keeps well in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days.
- Before serving, I like to remove the salad from the fridge and sit the container on the counter for about 15 minutes. Lastly, I give the ingredients a stir to mix in any dressing that may have settled.
Nutrition
This post was originally posted in April, 2012 and updated in May, 2023.
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