Instead Of Dressing Your Pasta Salad, Toss It In Some Sauce

Here's the thing about pasta: It's always a good idea. Red sauce or white sauce, made with simple flavors or bold ones, no one's easily turning away a big tasty bowl of carby goodness — even if it is noon and the pasta is cold. Now, we're not talking about serving last night's spaghetti bolognese leftovers straight from the fridge (though we reckon that would be rather delicious). Instead, we're talking about a pasta salad — perfectly suited for a backyard barbecue — but made with a more traditional pasta sauce.

Oftentimes, pasta salads are made with dressings rather than sauces. As such, they tend to be vinegar-heavy, the acidic nature of which can produce an almost metallic aftertaste when paired with pasta. Using a sauce typically served with pasta not only makes for a better-tasting dish but adds a fresh spin to an old concept. 

While waxes present in olive fruit can make it possible for olive oil to take on a thicker gel-like consistency when stored in the refrigerator, the silky smooth olive oil will be restored to its former glory once it's removed from the fridge and left at room temperature. As such, olive oil-based sauces — like the one used in this cold lemon capellini salad recipe — are excellent for pasta salads. Alternatively, a light marinara sauce with tomatoes and basil can be refreshing when served cold.

Although olive oil-based sauces work best when you're trying to turn a typically hot recipe into a cold pasta salad, the addition of Parmesan cheese can add a creamy element to the dish. Working in loads of fresh or dried herbs and spices provides flavor, so you aren't left relying on harsh vinegar to do all the work. Alternatively, you could use the collective powers of all three — herbs, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese — to make a killer basil pesto sauce recipe that pairs perfectly with chilled cheese tortellini and pine nuts.

Since you are already getting adventurous with your pasta salad sauce, why not mix it up and choose a pasta shape outside the norm. We're looking at you penne and fusilli! Coated in a creamy soy-based sauce favored with peanut butter (which is among the ingredients that will totally upgrade your pasta salad, by the way) soba noodles make for a delightful Asian-inspired pasta salad. Add in some pickled carrots for crunch and that coveted acidity without even having to think about reaching for the vinegar.