The Lazy Store-Bought Hack For Quick And Easy Pasta Salad

Whether it's the middle of summer or the middle of the day, pasta salad is a crowd-pleasing choice that fits the bill. With its endless variations and fresh ingredients, it packs a hearty burst of flavor in every bite. Still, ideally we can spend fewer hours in the kitchen so we can relish some outdoor pursuits. Enter your pasta salad hack of the moment: Use a store-bought salad to make a quick and easy pasta salad. Whether you are seeking an easy lunch option or putting together food for an impromptu gathering, this tip will give you plenty of flavor profiles to riff off of and get you out of the kitchen in a snap.

Not only does a bagged salad save you time in the kitchen, it also drastically cuts back on the hours you spend shopping for ingredients. A crunchy Asian salad kit, for example, will already have shredded carrots and purple cabbage ready to go, not to mention crunchy mix-ins like almonds or wonton strips. Caesar salad kits are also popular and will have you enjoying a pasta salad almost as quickly as you can boil some noodles. Buffalo ranch or bacon ranch kits, with ingredients like pepper jack cheese and green onion, also sound tempting. You can even amp up the bacon angle with an extra crumble of cooked bacon if you are feeling decadent. There are plenty of common mistakes to avoid when making pasta salad, but adding pre-packaged salad to your mixture isn't one of them — this hack promises to enhance your already delicious recipes.

Making pasta salad with a packaged salad kit could not be more straightforward. Simply mix the store-bought salad as directed on the bag and combine it with your cooked pasta. Still, know that timing here is key. Whether you are using a bagged salad with delicate greens like spinach, or a mix with heartier leaves like kale or cabbage, always wait to mix the salad until you're nearly ready to serve. This prevents the ingredients from getting soggy.

Speaking of timing, follow some of celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis' pasta salad tips to make sure dressing coats every bite. If you are making a pasta salad with an oil-based dressing, she advocates adding the topping to still slightly-warm pasta. If you are using a creamy dressing, wait until the pasta is completely cool so the dressing doesn't separate. 

Finally, though most pasta recipes suggest making your pasta al dente (Italian for "to the tooth" for just the right bite), this is a cooking mistake when it comes to pasta salad. Instead, boil the noodles until just before they reach an al dente texture, then rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process. Combine all this together, and the result is a pasta salad that is fresh, inviting, and crisp. Time to enjoy the tasty fruits of your minimal labor.