This Instant Pot Easy Pasta Salad Recipe is delightful! It has so much built-in flavor from the rotini being cooked in Italian Dressing. The pasta salad is then stocked full of salami, feta cheese, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Did someone say picnic?!
The other day, Matt and I went to a park for date night. We’ve been trying to do date night once a week in order to relax and have some fun with each other!
A few days ago, it was an absolutely GORGEOUS day. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and I could finally see that beautiful blue sky for the first time in literal months (clouds are a kill-joy during Michigan winters).
We packed a picnic, and searched for a park that neither one of us had been to before. We laid out a blanket and ended up having a picnic on the dock of a random lake. It was so fun, and definitely a great way to soak up some sunshine!
I made this easy pasta salad recipe for our picnic. And the best part? I threw it together in my Instant Pot about a half an hour before we left! It was ready so fast!
This dish is perfect for a picnic because it is hearty, but is best enjoyed cold. I threw my recipe together with what I had on hand, but keep reading for some really delicious ways to customize your Easy Pasta Salad in the Instant Pot!
What Ingredients are in this Easy Pasta Salad Recipe?
Rotini Noodles
Italian dressing
Chicken broth
Orange bell pepper
Feta cheese
Salami
Cherry tomatoes
How to Make this Easy Pasta Salad Recipe
Open the lid of your Instant Pot, and add the Italian dressing and the chicken broth. Add the noodles into the Pot, making sure that all of the noodles are covered by the liquid. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn it to HIGH for 6 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete, perform a Quick Release.
Pour the noodles and the extra liquid into a bowl, and place in the fridge for about a half an hour.
At the end of the half hour, check on your noodles. They should be cold and should have absorbed the rest of the liquid in the bowl.
Add the bell peppers, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, and salami. Stir and enjoy! If you like a stronger Italian dressing flavor or more liquid in your pasta salad, you can add ½ cup of Italian dressing into the bowl after tasting and stir.
Leave a comment on this post letting me know what you thought!
Can You Make Pasta Salad the Night Before?
Yes! The great thing about Pasta Salad is that it’s meant to be eaten cold. This means that you can make it whenever is best for you, and then store it in the fridge until it’s time to enjoy!
My best recommendation would be to cook the pasta the night before and store in the fridge. Then, on the day you want to eat it, add the rest of the topping ingredients (bell pepper, tomatoes, feta cheese, salami).
In my opinion, this ensures that everything is as fresh as possible. The tomatoes are crunchier, etc.
However, if you’re only option is to make everything ahead of time, that certainly is a safe and delicious option! Ultimately, you can do whatever is best for you!
What are Good Occasions to Make this Easy Pasta Salad Recipe?
Oh there are so many. Pasta salad is a great summer dish, meaning that there are so many occasions that you can make it for!
It’s a great dish to take on picnics in the park, because it’s hearty but doesn’t need to be warm to enjoy. You can also serve it at graduation parties or as a side dish at summer barbecues.
And, hey, if you want to eat this pasta salad when it’s snowing outside…. I’m not judging!
Feel free to enjoy this dish whenever is best for you. It’s great as an appetizer or as a side dish for a fresh and healthy dinner. But if you’re looking for something a little lighter, you can also serve it as a main dish, particularly for lunch.
Can I Add or Subtract Ingredients?
Of course! And honestly, you can pretty much do that for all of the recipes on my website.
Other great ideas of ingredients to include in pasta salad are:
- Olives
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Red Onion
- Pepperoncini
- Parsley
- Zucchini
- Green Onions
- Basil
- Lemon Juice
I chose the ingredients that I chose because I had them on hand. If you want to include any of these other ingredients, those would be great options!
If you customize your Instant Pot Easy Pasta Salad Recipe, leave a comment and let me know what you thought! I love to try new combinations, so maybe you can inspire me with something that you’ve tried and loved!
What Kind of Italian Dressing Did You Use?
I wanted this recipe to be as quick as possible when I was making it (life is busy, hello!!!). So instead of making Italian dressing from home, I just went to my local grocery store and bought a bottle.
I ended up with Wishbone Italian Dressing, and simply used that when making this recipe!
If you want to make your own Italian dressing, you can totally do that!! I really love this recipe from FiveHeartHome.com. Though I haven’t tried it specifically with this Easy Pasta Salad Recipe, I know that it would be absolutely delicious!
How Long Will this Easy Pasta Salad Recipe Last in the Fridge?
Your Instant Pot Pasta Salad should last in the fridge for about 5-7 days. This is, of course, only if the veggies that you add into your salad are fresh!
Keep an eye on the vegetables in the dish. The longer you keep it in the fridge, the less fresh they will become. I’d recommend eating your pasta salad before the 5 day mark, but it can last up to 7 days if necessary 🙂
Did you like this Easy Pasta Salad Recipe? If so, leave a comment letting me know what you thought! Don’t forget to take a photo and post it on Facebook or Instagram tagging @TheForeignFork or hashtag #TheForeignFork.
If you liked this Instant Pot Pasta Recipe, make sure to check out these other recipes that I think you’ll like as well!
- Instant Pot Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip
- Creamy Beef and Shells in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Macaroni and Cheese in the Instant Pot (or stovetop)
Easy Pasta Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry rotini noodles
- 1 cup Italian dressing
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3 oz salami, cut into pieces
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Open the lid of your Instant Pot, and add the Italian dressing and the chicken broth. Add the noodles into the Pot, making sure that all of the noodles are covered by the liquid. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn it to HIGH for 6 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete, perform a Quick Release.
- Pour the noodles and the extra liquid into a bowl, and place in the fridge for about a half an hour.
- At the end of the half hour, check on your noodles. They should be cold and should have absorbed the rest of the liquid in the bowl.
- Add the bell peppers, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, and salami. Stir and enjoy! If you like a stronger Italian dressing flavor or more liquid in your pasta salad, you can add ½ cup of Italian dressing into the bowl after tasting and stir.
- Leave a comment on this post letting me know what you thought!
Carla says
I tried this today and I just love the idea and convenience. The only thing I might change the next time is the amount of dressing. While it tastes real good the dressing is a little overpowering. I’m sure that would be a different case if using a different salad dressing so I’d have to play it by ear (or even taste) . Thanks for a great idea.
The Foreign Fork says
I’m so glad you loved it Carla! Yes, you can definitely adjust the amount of dressing to fit whatever taste you’d like. Just make sure replace the missing dressing with chicken broth so that the noodles don’t burn!:) Thanks for leaving a comment. XX Alexandria
Brigitte says
When I opened my IP and the bottom of the pot was scorched!! My dinner was ruined. What did I do wrong?
The Foreign Fork says
Hey Brigitte! It’s hard to tell, though 3 cups of water/broth for 8 oz of pasta is standard in the Instant Pot and should never burn. Did you maybe add less liquid or more noodles on accident? Or maybe add the cheese into the pot instead of just on top after the cooking was done? Every once in a while altitude affects how things cook, but it shouldn’t scorch your pasta. I’m wondering if maybe a measurement just got messed up by mistake!