My pasta finished cooking in the time it took to prepare the dressing.
Although Garten recommends letting the noodles cool first, my pasta-salad-making experience has taught me that tossing hot noodles in an oily, salty dressing maximizes flavor.
I tossed the cooked pasta, salty mix-ins, and dressing together in a large bowl. I then let the pasta cool to room temperature before finishing the dish with Garten’s recommended chopped fresh parsley and a generous amount of grated Parmesan.
Here, I made sure to add the cheese after the salad cooled so it wouldn’t all melt into a gooey mess. Instead, the Parmesan coated the noodles, mimicking the creamy, rich dressing many of us associate with pasta salad.
Compared to other salads, though, this one is big on savory flavors and pops of briny, chewy sun-dried tomatoes. I loved that the dish felt lighter than a mayo-drenched salad, but just as satisfying.
The oil-based dressing holds up well, too. I doubled the recipe, and my household of two enjoyed pasta for several days.
I’m glad I found this recipe right before cookout season — I’ll be bringing this easy, crowd-pleasing dish to every picnic and summer party this year.
This story was originally published on July 4, 2025, and most recently updated on June 22, 2026.
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