Black Southern Pasta Salad With Italian Dressing
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This quintessentially classic Southern pasta salad combines the hearty charm of Southern flavors with the zesty allure of Italian dressing. It’s a soul food and Italian fusion that yields a unique flavor profile that delights the taste buds, seamlessly blending the savory notes of the South with Italy’s rich culinary traditions.
Classic Southern pasta salad
Is pasta salad an American thing? – Southern pasta salad originated around 1914, when American cookbooks and newspapers began publishing various recipe versions of it.
The American pasta salad is thought to have been influenced by 19th-century German immigrants who brought their styles of mayonnaise and mustard potato salads to the United States. During this period, macaroni noodles were regarded as an ethnic Italian food (knowing how Americans can fearmonger anything “ethnic”), which led to some confusion among Americans about how to incorporate macaroni into their dishes.
It wasn’t until 1930 that the Washington Post published a “mock potato salad” recipe that utilized macaroni, likely resembling what we now recognize as Southern macaroni salad (albeit without the soul food seasoning).
Ingredients
Over time, American culture, which tends to be slow to evolve, transformed this once-simple concept of pasta salad into a beloved American classic of Southern charm on your table!
Today, Southern pasta salad is more flavorful. It welcomes a delightful fusion of ethnic Southern flavors with Italian-style pasta and herbs. It includes a variety of savory seasonings and a robust Italian dressing, elevating it beyond just basic noodles.
- Spiral noodles – These tri-color rotini noodles add vibrant color and texture to the dish, enhancing the simplicity of basic noodles. Their grooves capture the flavorful dressing, maximizing the taste experience.
- Water – Essential for boiling noodles, it’s the basis of cooking them.
- Olive oil – This heart-healthy oil prevents the noodles from clumping during boiling and adds an Italian touch to the process.
- Tomatoes – Provide freshness, tang, and a vibrant pop of color to the dish.
- Cucumbers – The crunchy texture of cucumbers introduces a refreshing contrast to the soft, tangy tomatoes.
- Dressing and seasonings – The heart of this Southern dish features an Italian twist, rich with herbs. A specialty seasoning blend is recommended, preferably Salad Supreme or a combination of dry Italian dressing and wet Italian dressing. Look for McCormick’s Perfect Pinch Salad Supreme seasoning, which can typically be found on the same aisle as other seasonings or in your local grocery store’s salad dressing and condiment section.
Best noodles to use for pasta salad
Tri-color short spiral noodles (rotini) are a classic choice for this cold pasta dish. However, modifications to this recipe can include the addition of proteins and noodle variations, such as sautéed shrimp with spaghetti noodles.
How to make Southern pasta salad with Italian dressing
Each step below guides you through creating an easy dish that comes to mind when planning a BBQ spread, celebrating Southern hospitality, and Italian zest.
- Boil the water for the spiral noodles according to the package instructions, then drain the water with a colander when cooked.
- Add the Italian dressing and Salad Supreme seasoning to the pasta salad .
- Slice and fold the chopped tomato and cucumber into the pasta.
- Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad, then serve chilled and enjoy!
How long does pasta salad need to chill?
After making this Southern Italian pasta salad recipe, cover and refrigerate it for at least an hour. Ironically, cold salad recipes pair best with a hot main dish.
Variations and add-ons
This is the classic version of a Southern pasta salad with Italian dressing. However, many people make this dish differently, and there’s no wrong or right way to do it. I only suggest that you never skimp on the recommended seasonings, as they contribute to the dish’s Southern soul food character.
Here are some variations and additions if you’d like to enhance your recipe with these options:
- Shrimp
- Pepperoni
- Black or green olives
- Basil leaves
- Feta cheese
- Shredded sharp cheese
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Red wine vinegarette dressing
- Shrimp pasta salad made in the Instant Pot
- Soul food pasta salad made with spaghetti noodles
Storing leftovers
Storing leftovers of this recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator allows the flavors to meld together beautifully, making it even more delicious when enjoyed again (recommended to be eaten within 3-5 days).
More Southern BBQ recipes
As I mentioned earlier, this cold salad recipe pairs best with hot main dishes such as BBQ ribs, Southern BBQ grilled chicken, BBQ chicken sandwiches, and Southern baked beans.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
Ingredients
- 8 oz spiral noodles uncooked tri-color rotini
- water to boil the noodles
- 1 cup tomato chopped
- 1 cup cucumber peeled and chopped
- ¼ teaspoon olive oil extra virgin
- 10 oz Italian dressing zesty Italian salad dressing
- 6 tablespoons seasoning Salad Supreme Seasoning or 1 packet of dry Italian dressing seasoning
Instructions
- Boil the spiral pasta in a large pot according to the package instructions.
- Put the olive oil into the water to keep the noodles from clumping when boiling.
- When cooking is finished, drain the liquid from the pasta using a colander.
- Then, rinse the noodles in cold water and allow the excess water to drain.
- Mix the Italian dressing and Salad Supreme seasoning or dry Italian dressing seasoning in a medium-sized bowl with the cooked pasta.
- Fold in the chopped tomatoes and cucumber.
- Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least an hour.
- Serve this Southern pasta salad chilled, and enjoy!
Nutrition
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I love your recipe because I never knew how much seasoning to add. Thank you for providing the exact amounts needed for this favorite recipe.