This Tri Color Pasta Salad Recipe is a perfect side dish or full meal that is full of vegetables and bright flavors! Follow our easy recipe for a perfect dish.
I’m a sucker for any kind of pasta salad, which is why I also love this Pesto Pasta Salad (video) and Chicken Pasta Salad.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
This Tri Color Pasta Salad is one of my favorites because it is both simple and full of flavor. A ready-made salad dressing gives it robust flavor without making you a slave in the kitchen for too long.
- TASTE: This Tri Color Pasta Salad has so much flavor. Sweet peppers and tomatoes, pungent onion, salty olives, and tangy dressing make it taste delicious.
- TEXTURE: The vegetables give this pasta salad lots of different textures, from crunchy to juicy to tender. Every bite of this dish is scrumptious.
- TIME: It takes 20 minutes for this recipe.
- EASE: This is so easy to make and is really easy to meal prep. If you have the right ingredients on hand, you can whip this up in no time.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Tri-color rotini– We love to use tri-color rotini, but any bite-sized pasta will do.
- Red bell pepper- This adds some sweetness and a nice crunch.
- Red onion- This ingredient has strong flavor that goes great with the others and is nice and crisp.
- Cherry tomatoes- These are sweet and juicy.
- Baby bella mushrooms- These mushrooms have a meaty texture and an earthy flavor that’s great in this pasta salad.
- Black olives– For a pop of salty, briny flavor.
- Italian dressing– This dressing adds great tangy flavor.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute another pasta- Besides the tri color rotini, you can also make this salad with elbow macaroni, farfalle, or penne.
- Add cheese- Try this with some feta cheese, bleu cheese, mozzarella cheese, or cheddar cheese.
- Substitute other vegetables- You can make this Tri Color Pasta Salad with other veggies, such as broccoli, green olives, roasted red peppers, or banana peppers for some heat.
- Use another dressing- You can make your own homemade dressing, use store-bought, or try this Greek Salad Dressing or Easy Cilantro Lime Dressing.
How to Make Tri Color Pasta Salad
- Prepare the vegetable. Slice up the mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, onion, and pepper.
- Prepare your pasta. Make your rotini according to the package directions or al dente.
- Mix all ingredients together. Here is where you toss everything into a large bowl and mix in the dressing. Chill before serving.
Pro Tip: Prep the vegetables while the pasta cooks so they are ready to add when the pasta is done.
Recipe Tips
- Use smaller tomatoes- I recommend using small tomatoes, like cherry or grape tomatoes, instead of the larger ones because they can get mushy.
- Cut the vegetables to a uniform size- To keep any one vegetable from overpowering the dish, make sure to chop the veggies to a similar size.
- Cook the pasta al dente- Make sure to cook the pasta al dente so that it is just firm enough not to break apart when mixed with the veggies.
- Chill the pasta- This pasta tastes best chilled, so place it in the refrigerator covered for half an hour or so before serving.
FAQs
Tri color pasta is regular semolina pasta that has been flavored with spinach and tomato to give it those bright red, yellow, and green colors.
If you are making a cold pasta salad, then it is ok to rinse the pasta. This removes the starch it releases when it’s cooked. But this is not a necessary step.
Serving Suggestions
This Tri Color Pasta Salad is great with other salads, sides, and main courses. It’s the perfect dish to bring to backyard barbecues and get-togethers.
- Meats/Seafood: Serve this salad with some BBQ Chicken Wings, Cedar Plank Salmon, Smoked Chicken Thighs, or Barbecue Pork Ribs.
- Salads: Pair this pasta salad with some Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, Pesto Pasta Salad (VIDEO), Chicken Salad With Grapes, or Cucumber Radish Salad.
- Sides: Enjoy this Tri Color Pasta Salad with some Air Fryer Corn on the Cob, Eggplant Appetizers (Roll-ups), Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, or Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower.
- Sandwiches: Serve this alongside Chipotle Burgers with Avocado Sauce, Brisket Sandwiches, Caprese Sandwiches, or Classic BLT Sandwiches.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: Since this pasta salad stores so well and needs to chill before serving, make it a day ahead of time and store it in the fridge until serving time.
Storing: Store this Tri Color Pasta Salad in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. After that, the pasta starts to become mushy.
Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this salad because the vegetables will thaw soft and mushy, losing their delicious crunch.
More Delicious Pasta Dishes!
Full Recipe Instructions
Tri Color Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz package tri-color rotini
- 2/3 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in halves
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup black olives sliced
- 2 2/3 cup Italian dressing
Instructions
- Cook the tri-color rotini according to the package making sure to salt the water well. Once the pasta is cooked, pour it into a colander and rinse the pasta with cold water to stop it from cooking further. After all the water is drained, place the pasta into a large bowl.
- Chop the bell pepper and red onion, then slice the tomatoes, and mushrooms.
- Add the chopped vegetables and sliced olives to the pasta and mix just to combine.
- Pour the Italian dressing over the pasta and stir well. It might seem like a lot of dressing at first, but the pasta will absorb a lot of it. Serve chilled.
Notes
- Use smaller tomatoes- I recommend using small tomatoes, like cherry or grape tomatoes, instead of the larger ones because they can get mushy.
- Cut the vegetables to a uniform size- To keep any one vegetable from overpowering the dish, make sure to chop the veggies to a similar size.
- Cook the pasta al dente- Make sure to cook the pasta al dente so that it is just firm enough not to break apart when mixed with the veggies.
- Chill the pasta- This pasta tastes best chilled, so place it in the refrigerator covered for half an hour or so before serving.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted March 19, 2015, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
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Betty says
So fresh! Absolutely love this summery recipe!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much Betty! Glad to hear you loved this pasta salad recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your feedback and I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
Vanessa says
Hello! I need to make this Friday night for Saturday afternoon. Should I make the recipe, store in fridge and then add the dressing just before serving?
Or should I just make the recipe with dressing and store in fridge until Saturday afternoon? I’m afraid it will dry up? But I don’t know if that is the case so that is why I am asking 🙂
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Vanessa, I would recommend making the pasta salad the night before. That way the flavors infuse together for better taste 🙂
christina scaduto says
I can’t find the serving size but all in all it was delicious
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Christina for your kind feedback! I really appreciate it 🙂 The suggested serving is 8 and it is in the recipe card. With the cooking time, prep time, calories, and author. It’s only a suggestion since it depends on each person 🙂
Val says
Never thought of adding mushrooms to pasta salad but I love mushrooms. Will be trying that next time. 🙂
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Val, mushrooms are such a delicious addition to pasta salads!
Julia says
As we are moving into warmer weather I can’t imagine a better pasta salad than this one. I love how simple it is to throw together!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Julia! This is my go-to summer pasta salad. So easy and quick!
ND says
The colorful pasta salad is so bomb, even my boys will love it. I am excited to have them eat veggies! They have been so picky!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you, ND! Tri-color pasta salad is such a pretty way to get kids to eat more veggies!
Katie says
Oohhh I love how simple this pasta salad is and that you used tri-color noodles. Quick question…do you think I can use tri-color whole wheat pasta noodles?
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Katie, I have never used whole wheat pasta for this pasta salad, but I think it should still taste great with the whole wheat noodles 🙂
Kelcee says
I omit the mushrooms and add mini pepperonis, cheese cubes, cucumbers, and broccoli florets. Always a huge hit whenever I take it to a barbecue or pot luck! Definitely my favorite go-to side recipe.
simplyhomecooked says
Kelcee I’m so happy you love this Tri color pasta salad! Thank you for leaving feedback 🙂
Jennifer says
Will it get soggy if I make it a night before a bday party?
Sounds delish!
simplyhomecooked says
If you make it the day before, try undercooking the pasta a little bit. That way as it sits the dressing will absorb into the pasta. If the pasta is fully cooked, it will absorb even more and become soggy. Hope that helps Jennifer.
Anna says
Im going to try making it this weekend! Will it still be good if kept in fridge for couple of days?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Anna, if you plan to make it a few days in advance, try to undercook the pasta. That way as it sits in the fridge for a few days the liquid from the Italian dressing will absorb and balance out. If you fully cook the pasta, it may get a little soggy after a few days. Hope that helps 🙂
Robin says
Good Pasta Salad. I omitted the mushrooms and added some celery. I also like to add 1/2 – 3/4 cup parmesan cheese with either fresh basil or parsley. Mmm Mmm good. I’ve tried different dressings, but I find Ken’s Olive Oil w/Vinegar dressing works best.for me.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Robin, I’ll have to try that 🙂
Judy says
I love to add red onions, carrots, red or orange or yellow bell pepper, broccoli, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes.
simplyhomecooked says
That sounds delicious Judy 🙂
dolores a urato says
Love your blog ….please send me updates via email……Blessings dolores…..the pasta salad…..DELISH !!!!!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Dolores! If you go to my homepage, there will be an email subscription box that pops up. Type your email in the subscription box. Once you receive the confirmation email, make sure to confirm it. You will receive an update every time I post a new recipe.
Rico Padilla-Roman says
I’ve done one almost exactly like this except for the raw mushrooms…& added chopped ham……
Excellent……
I Love Pasta Salad
simplyhomecooked says
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
jonny87 says
Thanks for posting this. My husband likes taking a side in his lunch and I didn’t like buying ready made but I wanted something simple. The addition of chicken seems like a good idea.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you! That’s definitely a great addition for a fuller meal.
Brandy says
I added chicken this i sooooo good and healthy
simplyhomecooked says
Great idea Brandy!
Sandra says
Just the recipe I was looking for, but I think I’ll add some small pieces of blanched broccoli florets.
simplyhomecooked says
I hope you enjoy it Sandra!
Dena says
Can you eat those mushrooms raw?
simplyhomecooked says
Yes Dena, you can eat them raw.
Gina says
Try adding some green onion !!!
admin says
Oh good idea Gina!