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French Dressing Pasta Salad

French dressing pasta salad is a retro picnic-style side with pasta coated in a tangy-sweet Catalina-style dressing and crisp vegetables. Chill it for a couple hours so the flavors meld for a classic, vintage recipe texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 460
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Elbow macaroni or rotini
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni or rotini
French dressing
  • 1 cup French dressing (Catalina)
Vegetables
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
  • 0.5 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
Cheese
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, cubed
Seasoning
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook elbow macaroni or rotini according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water until cool to the touch.
  2. Spread the rinsed pasta on a sheet pan to cool slightly, then let it sit until no longer warm.
Build the salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine elbow macaroni or rotini, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, and red onion.
  2. Add cheddar cheese and stir gently so the cheese is evenly distributed.
  3. Pour in French dressing (Catalina) and toss until all pasta and vegetables are well coated, with an orange-red sheen.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, tossing once more to distribute seasoning.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 2 hours so flavors develop and the dressing clings to the pasta.
  2. Toss again before serving and add more French dressing if needed to refresh the coating. Visual cue: the pasta should look glossy and evenly dressed.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta well with cold water so it won’t clump, then toss thoroughly right after dressing for the best coating. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze is not recommended because the vegetables and dressing texture can break down. For a lighter option, use a reduced-fat cheddar and light French dressing while keeping the same chilling time for best flavor melding.