Giada De Laurentiis' Pasta Salad Tips Make Sure Dressing Coats Every Bite

With peak pasta salad season upon us, everyone has their go-to recipe for potlucks and picnics. You might keep it simple, including classics like tomatoes, olives, and feta, or mix up an over-the-top pasta salad with BLT inspired add-ins. Stir together a homemade dressing or keep it easy with zesty Italian dressing straight from a bottle. No matter your favorite approach, we can all agree that a well mixed pasta salad, with dressing that coats each noodle rather than pools or slides off — is a must. To master the perfect melding of noodles, add-ins, and dressing, it all comes down to when you mix the components — doing so at the wrong time is a common pasta salad mistake.  

Celebrity chef, cookbook author, and all around pasta expert Giada De Laurentiis has a simple solution for ensuring a perfectly dressed pasta — and it depends on the type of pasta salad dressing you're using — oil or mayo-based. When working with a simple oil based dressing, De Laurentiis tosses the dressing over slightly still-warm noodles. No need, in this case, to wait till your rotini or penne has completely cooled to douse them in a blend of oil, vinegar, spices, and herbs — whether using a homemade dressing or one from the bottle. On the other hand, if using a creamy mayo-based dressing for your pasta salad, like one you might use in a macaroni salad, let cooked noodles cool completely before introducing the dressing to your carbs.

One of the selling points of pasta salad is its adaptability — use your choice of pasta, cheese, or add-ins, or clean out the fridge by using whatever veggies you have — basically anything goes. It is however possible to ruin even the simplest of pasta salads if your dressing and noodles don't play together like they should. 

For oil based dressings — a little warmth is your friend. Tossing dressing with still slightly warm noodles is key for allowing the oil to penetrate the starchy pasta and fully adhere. Pour oil dressing onto too-cool noodles, and the dressing will just pool around or slide off of ingredients. For even better absorption of dressing into noodles, make sure the oily dressing itself is lukewarm. 

On the flip side, if using a mayo-based dressing — the rules are reversed. You wouldn't warm up mayo — unless you wanted a runny, oily mess. By the same logic, heat from just-cooked noodles will split apart the emulsified mayo, ruining the consistency by turning the creamy dressing into a separated sludge. If you're worried about noodles turning sticky while they cool down, rinse under cold water once al dente to wash off excess starch. Once cool, mix well — even if noodles have clumped together a bit, a few good mixes is all it takes for a perfectly combined, dressed pasta dish with flavor and dressing in every bite.