Full of fresh, flavorful veggies, this easy pasta salad with mayo, lemon, and basil is the perfect side dish for picnics, potlucks, and cookouts!
Table of Contents
If you love pasta salad recipes, be sure to try this Southern macaroni salad, a classic pasta salad with Italian dressing, this Hawaiian pasta salad, and this tuna pasta salad, too!
I’ve made this more than a few times. It’s always great. Halved the recipe this time, it’s just my wife and myself. Very nice !
– Dave
A Few Tips Before You Get Started
- You can use just about any short pasta shape that you like. I’ve shown medium shells here, but other good options include ditalini, elbows (macaroni pasta), rotini, and penne. You want something that has holes, ridges, or curls so that the dressing really clings to each bite!
- This mayonnaise-based dressing is rich, smooth, and creamy, but also light and bright thanks to the lemon juice and fresh herbs. It’s the perfect companion for cool, crisp veggies with great crunch. Feel free to adjust the seasoning, or add chopped fresh parsley, dill, thyme, or oregano when available.
- Plan ahead and make sure that you allow at least 2 hours for the salad to “marinate” in the dressing and the flavors to come together.
- Since the pasta absorbs some of the dressing as it sits, reserve extra dressing to add just before serving. This refreshes and moistens the salad when you’re ready to enjoy it.
How to Make It
This easy cold pasta salad is a perfect prep-ahead side dish for your next Sunday supper, family bbq, picnic, or potluck. It’s versatile, and it pairs well with almost any meat-based entrée! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water, adding the broccoli during the final 30 seconds. You want the broccoli to stay a bright green color, and still have a little bit of crisp bite to it. No mushy veggies allowed!
- Thaw the peas quickly by placing the frozen peas in a colander. When you drain the pasta and broccoli florets, pour the hot pasta and water over the peas in the colander. They will thaw almost instantly when the hot pasta hits them!
- Rinse the pasta and broccoli under cold water to stop the cooking process, cool it down quickly, and remove starches so that the noodles don’t stick to each other.
- Combine the cool pasta with the veggies in a large bowl. If you’re using an English cucumber, you don’t even need to peel it or remove any seeds!
- Whisk together the dressing, pour half of it over the salad, and then stick the other half in the fridge for later.
- Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
- Drizzle the remaining dressing over top, toss to combine, and serve!
Serving Suggestions
Serve the pasta salad alongside grilled burgers, chili dogs, pulled pork, BBQ chicken, grilled salmon, crispy fried chicken, a club sandwich, Kentucky hot brown sliders, these turkey Sloppy Joes, this fried chicken tenders recipe, marinated grilled shrimp, or a bbq chicken wrap.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: The salad is best when it has at least a couple of hours to chill. You can assemble the salad in advance and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before serving. Just before you plan to enjoy it, add the reserved dressing to freshen it up!
- Storage: While it’s best enjoyed within 24 hours, the dish will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- I do not recommend freezing the leftovers, since the ingredients will have a mushy, watery texture when thawed.
More Pasta Salad Recipes with Mayo
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Easy Pasta Salad with Mayo, Lemon, and Basil
Prep: 30 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes
A creamy cold pasta salad with fresh veggies and a bright lemon-basil mayo dressing. Make it ahead and it only gets better as it chills.
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
- 8 ounces uncooked medium shells or other short pasta (such as elbows, ditalini, rotini, or penne)
- ½ cup diced broccoli florets
- ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
- ½ cup finely diced sweet red bell pepper
- ½ cup diced cucumber
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1 cup mayonnaise (Duke's preferred)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves
- 1 small clove garlic, finely minced or grated (or sub with ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place the frozen peas in a colander. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions, adding the broccoli florets during the final 30 seconds. Drain over the peas (the hot water thaws them instantly), then rinse everything under cold water until cool. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, broccoli, peas, red bell pepper, cucumber, and green onions. Add any protein (rotisserie chicken, cooked shrimp, or drained tuna) at this stage if using.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, basil, garlic, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Pour about half the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Store the remaining dressing separately in the refrigerator.
- Just before serving, add the reserved dressing and toss to combine. The pasta absorbs dressing as it chills, so this second addition is what keeps the salad creamy. Taste, adjust seasoning, and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- Pasta shape: Short pasta with ridges, holes, or curls holds the dressing best. Shells, rotini, elbows, ditalini, and penne all work well.
- Thaw the peas quickly: Place frozen peas in the colander before draining. The hot pasta water thaws them almost instantly as you pour it over.
- Reserve the dressing: Always set aside half the dressing before chilling. Pasta absorbs dressing as it sits, and that second addition is what keeps the salad creamy and fresh-tasting at serving time.
- Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance. Add the reserved dressing just before serving.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Best within the first day or two.
- Freezing: Not recommended. The mayo-based dressing breaks down and the vegetables lose their texture when thawed.
- Mayo substitute: To reduce the mayo flavor or lighten the dressing, replace up to half the mayo with plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.
- Dressing variations: A dollop of Dijon mustard or a splash of vinegar adds a little more depth to the dressing.
- Add protein: Grilled or rotisserie chicken, cooked shrimp, or drained canned tuna all work well as mix-ins.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of the recipeCalories: 417kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 6gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 244mgPotassium: 203mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 603IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg
Recipe Variations
- Just about any vegetables will work, so feel free to mix up what goes in your salad. For instance, add corn instead of peas, or swap out the red pepper for halved cherry tomatoes. Diced celery or chopped red onion is also nice!
- Sliced black olives, chopped dill pickles, sweet pickles, or sweet pickle relish, cubed cheddar cheese, and hard-boiled eggs are also classic additions. Toss them into this dish, if you like.
- Cheese is always a good option, too. Try cubed cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, crumbled feta cheese, or diced Swiss cheese.
- Add meat and make it a more satisfying dish with protein that works for a lunch or dinner entrée. Good options include grilled or rotisserie chicken, shrimp, or tuna.
- For even more flavor in the dressing, try adding a dollop of dijon mustard and/or a splash of vinegar.
This recipe was originally published in May, 2021. It was updated in July, 2024.
Perhaps this is a ridiculous request, given the ingredient’s prominent role in the dish, but is there a substitute for mayo that you would recommend as a viable alternative? The salad sounds delicious but my husband hates mayonnaise.
Hi, Nicole! Not really, although you can definitely cut the mayo with some sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, which would minimize the mayo flavor in the dish.
I’ve made this more than a few times. It’s always great. Halved the recipe this time, it’s just my Wife and Myself. Very nice !
Thank you, Dave! We’re so glad you enjoy it.
Perfect recipe for our beach day side dish. I shared the pasta with coworkers and they love it also.
Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that. Thanks, Jennifer!