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French Dressing Pasta Salad

French dressing pasta salad is a classic retro salad where elbow macaroni is coated in tangy-sweet Catalina-style dressing and folded with crisp vegetables and cheddar. Chilled for a couple hours, the pasta turns tender and flavorful for a vintage picnic-style side dish.
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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: 430
Ingredients 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
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 pepper to taste

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the elbow macaroni or rotini according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
  2. Drain well after rinsing so the pasta stays from diluting the dressing.
Mix the salad
  1. Combine the pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, red onion, and cheddar cheese in a large bowl.
  2. Add the French dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated and glossy.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss again to distribute seasoning.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavors develop and the pasta absorbs the tangy dressing (keep covered in the fridge).
  2. Toss again before serving and add more French dressing if needed to loosen and re-coat the pasta.

Notes

Pro tip: Rinse the pasta well with cold water and drain thoroughly so the dressing clings instead of getting diluted. Store covered in the refrigerator for 3 days; freeze is not recommended because the vegetables and pasta texture change. For a lighter option, use a reduced-fat French dressing (Catalina-style) and reduce cheddar to 1/2 cup while keeping the toss step the same.