Bow tie pasta salad is a summertime classic. Not only is it super simple to throw together, but it can be made in advance for get-togethers and picnics. It’s also refreshing, flavorful and chocked full of juicy tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, spicy pepperonis, crunchy onions and a tangy, zesty Italian dressing.
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Bow Tie Pasta Salad Is Fast And Easy To Make
One of the things I love most about bow tie pasta salad is that it takes very little time and effort to throw together.
The preparation consists of a little bit of chopping and cooking the pasta. Other than that, it’s just a matter of putting all the ingredients in a bowl together and giving everything a good toss to combine.
With very little prep work involved, it should come as no surprise that this pasta salad takes about 30 minutes to prepare. And about half of that is inactive time as the cooked pasta cools enough to add the remaining ingredients.
All in all, this recipe is no fuss, no muss which is just how I like things – especially in the summertime when I’m more interested in being outside versus being stuck in a hot kitchen all day.
Bow Tie Pasta Salad Is The Perfect Make-Ahead Side Dish
While certain dishes should be served and enjoyed immediately once prepared, bow tie pasta salad is not one of those dishes.
In fact, it gets even better as it sits and marinates for a few hours, or – better still – overnight.
By resting the assembled pasta salad in the fridge, you’re allowing the pasta to absorb the Italian dressing. You’re also providing all of the ingredients with a friendly environment to get to know one another and mingle together.
Bow tie pasta salad will keep in the fridge for up to three days so you can easily make this on your own time for a pot-luck or family get-together.
Be Sure To Check Out Some Of My Other Side Dish Recipes
Bow Tie Pasta Salad Is A Crowd Pleaser
Pasta salad is a must at summer get-togethers and barbeques for several reasons:
- It’s delicious.
- It’s ridiculously fast and easy to make.
- It can be made up to 3 days in advance.
- This recipe makes 12+ servings.
That’s right – this recipe makes a big batch of pasta salad in under 30 minutes so it’s perfect for feeding a crowd.
Even better – all of the ingredients are incredibly affordable so this side dish is perfect for any budget.
Tips and Tricks
- If serving the bow tie pasta salad the next day, reserve about a quarter of the Italian dressing to add just before serving. Then give everything a quick toss to incorporate.
- To help keep your pasta salad cold at outdoor gatherings, try freezing the bowl or serving platter you intend to use. This will help keep the pasta salad cooler for longer.
- Another method for keeping cold food cold is to place the serving dish inside of a large dish with some ice. You can also try placing your serving dish on top of ice packs or cooler mats.
Ingredients For Bow Tie Pasta Salad
- Bow tie or farfalle pasta – I grew up eating pasta salad with bow tie pasta, but you can substitute with penne, rotini or fusilli. Tri-color rotini makes an especially pretty pasta salad.
- Cucumbers – I prefer to use English cucumbers with the skin on. I like the pop of color from the green skin. You can also use regular slicing cucumbers, but you may want to peel and deseed them before chopping.
- Cherry tomatoes – I generally use cherry tomatoes in my bow tie pasta salad, but I have been known to dice whole tomatoes in a pinch.
- Mini pepperonis – I love the salty, spicy flavor of the pepperonis in this pasta salad dish.
- Red onion – You can substitute for another type of onion in this recipe, but I recommend sticking with red onions. They are mild and sweet enough to eat raw.
- Shredded cheese – I typically use Colby Jack or Sharp Cheddar cheese in my bow tie pasta salad. But feel free to experiment with different cheeses.
- Zesty Italian dressing – I have made my own Italian dressing for this in the past, but I generally just pick up a bottle of Zesty Italian dressing. Makes my life easier, and my family likes it so it’s a win-win for me 🙂
Method
Cook pasta according to the package directions in a pot of heavily salted, boiling water.
While the pasta cooks, dice the red onion, chop the cucumber and cut the cherry tomatoes. Set aside.
Once the pasta is al dente, drain and transfer to a large bowl.
While the pasta is still hot, add the Italian dressing. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow to cool.
Once cooled, add the rest of the ingredients and toss together.
Allow to marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight for best results.
Serve and enjoy!
Possible Variations For Bow Tie Pasta Salad
These are the basic, tried-and-true ingredients that I most generally use. However, like so many of my favorite recipes, this bow tie pasta salad is customizable.
I’ve made this with different veggies based on what I had in my fridge such as peppers, broccoli, corn and even roasted red peppers. Sun-dried tomatoes make for a nice addition as well.
Up until very recently, I used to make this bow tie pasta salad with kalamata olives as well. My oldest daughter and I love olives, but my husband and the baby of the family – ehh, not so much. So now I keep the peace by leaving them out. If you’re an olive lover, I encourage you to add them in there!
Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb uncooked bow tie pasta
- 16 fl oz zesty italian dressing
- 1 large red onion
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 English cucumber
- 5 oz mini pepperonis
- 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the package directions in a pot of heavily salted, boiling water.
- While the pasta cooks, dice the red onion, chop the cucumber and cut the cherry tomatoes. Set aside.
- Once the pasta is al dente, drain and transfer to a large bowl.
- While the pasta is still hot, add the Italian dressing. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow to cool.
- Once cooled, add the rest of the ingredients and toss together.
- Allow to marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight for best results.
- Serve and enjoy!
If you enjoyed this pasta salad recipe, be sure to pin, save and share so you have it handy for your next summer get-together.
Enjoy!
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I love to have easy-to-prepare recipes at hand for those days when you can’t spend much time in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing this one!
This one is super easy which is one of my favorite things about it 😉
What a great recipe for a Bow Tie Pasta Salad! I am always looking for new easy summer salad recipes. Thank you for sharing!
You’re very welcome, Denise! This is easily my very favorite pasta salad. So easy and delicious. Enjoy!
Looks amazing! Always on the hunt for new pasta recipes!
Thanks, Lori! I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!
This looks absolutely delish. I’m a pasta salad foodie.. I will try this at an upcoming get-together.
This looks so good and easy! I’m not a big fan of cheese, so I’ll skip that little part. Do you have a recipe for your homemade Italian dressing?
I am so in love with this pasta salad. Refreshing and so yummy.
Thank you for sharing
I love pasta salad as well 🙂 And it’s perfect for summer!
I love pasta, and I can’t wait to try this recipe this summer. You got me at “super simple to throw together.” Thanks, Heather.
It’s always good to have a few quick and easy recipes in our arsenal 😉 Enjoy!