Fresh vegetables and tender pasta tossed in a cool and creamy dressing is what makes Coleslaw Pasta Salad so delicious. Vibrant and colorful, this side dish is loaded with texture and bursting with flavor.
A fun twist to two classic side dishes - this recipe mashup comes together to make the best spring or summer recipe. And yes, there is a lot of chopping - but it’s worth it in the end, I promise! Perfectly sweet with just the right amount of tanginess it pairs well with just about anything.
This Coleslaw Pasta salad recipe does make a lot. Which is one reason why it is the perfect side dish for serving at potlucks, large gatherings barbecues or get togethers. If making for a smaller group you will most likely want to consider halving the recipe.
However, if you are looking for other crowd-pleasing favorites this Mexican Street Corn dip, Peaches and Cream layered dessert, Orange Creamsicle Pie, and Chessman Banana Pudding are always big hits.
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🥫 Ingredients
Simple but flavorful these few fresh ingredients are sure to bring out BIG flavors everyone is going to love.
- Ditalini Pasta
- Coleslaw Mix
- Onion, chopped
- Celery, chopped
- English Cucumber, chopped
- Green Pepper, chopped
- Water Chestnuts, chopped
- Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise
- White Sugar
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
(Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements and full printable instructions.)
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
Cook Pasta
Firstly to make our Coleslaw Pasta salad we need to heavily salt the water so we can cook the pasta. This not only helps it to cook faster but will also give the noodles extra flavor. After cooking the pasta to a tender, but firm al dente.
Then drain off the water in the pot and rinse the pasta with cold water to remove any excess starch and drain again. (If you happen to find your pasta sticking together, you can toss the pasta with a little apple cider vinegar.) Then set the pasta aside to cool.
Chop Vegetables
Secondly, it is time to prepare the vegetables. You can choose to peel your cucumber here, though the skin does give a nice pop of vibrant green which will help make for a more colorful Coleslaw Pasta salad.
Finely chop the cucumbers, celery, onion, water chestnuts, and green pepper so that everything is as uniform as possible.
Add the chopped vegetables to a large bowl with the pre-bagged coleslaw mix. We like to use the one with shredded green cabbage, carrots and red cabbage for extra pops of color. Afterwards add the cooked and cooled pasta to the large bowl.
Prepare Dressing
In a smaller bowl combine the dressing ingredients and whisk together till combined. Then pour the coleslaw pasta salad dressing over the bowl of veggies and pasta and stir till everything is coated and mixed.
Chill Salad
Lastly be sure to cover the Coleslaw Pasta salad and place in the fridge to chill for up to 2-3 hours if possible. Pasta salads are meant to be served cold. The longer you are able to let it sit the more your flavors will meld and come together!
You can however, serve your Coleslaw Pasta salad immediately after preparing if you need to - but we do suggest giving it a minimum of 30 minutes to chill in the refrigerator if possible.
👩🏻🍳 Make it Your Own
One of the fun things about making a salad is that the mix-ins really are limitless.
- Substitutions - Try adjusting your Coleslaw Pasta salad by switching the sweet onion for red onio or green pepper for a red one instead.
- Savory Component - Add chopped hardboiled eggs, cubed cheddar cheese, or crumbled bacon for a more savory dish.
- Add Freshness - Then try adding fresh chopped scallions, parsley or dill and a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice for an even brighter flavor profile.
🍽 How to Serve
Coleslaw Pasta Salad is ideal for serving with other summer recipe favorites like these BBQ Pulled Pork sandwiches, Poor Man’s Burnt Ends, easy BBQ Chicken Drumsticks, our favorite Tri-Tip Steak or smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends.
This classic mashup can also be paired with other favorite sides like our easy corn on the cob or stovetop mac and cheese for a well rounded meal.
🥡 Storing
Store any Coleslaw Pasta Salad leftovers in the fridge and enjoy for 2-3 days. Keep in mind however that your pasta will absorb some of the liquids as it sits. You can correct this and avoid dry pasta salad by adding a little more dressing and tossing again to re-moisten your flavorful side dish.
Add most when initially mixing the dish and save the rest to slowly add after chilling or just before or while serving.
📖 Recipe
Coleslaw Pasta Salad
Fresh vegetables and tender pasta tossed in a cool, creamy dressing are a must-try side dish this spring and summer. Vibrant and colorful, loaded with texture this salad is bursting with flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups ditalini pasta, dry
- 14-16 ounce coleslaw mix
- 1 english cucumber, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1-2 medium onions, chopped
- 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 8 ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
- 1 ½ cups Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Fill a pot with water and place on stove at high temperature. Salt water heavily and add pasta once water is boiling.
- Cook pasta to a tender but firm al dente. Drain off the water from the pot and rinse with cold water. Set aside to finish cooling. (Toss pasta with apple cider vinegar if sticking together.)
- Finely chop the cucumbers, celery, onion, water chestnuts and green peppers to a uniform size. Add vegetables to a large bowl.
- Add pre-bagged coleslaw mix to the bowl of vegetables.
- In a smaller bowl combine the miracle whip, sugar, salt, pepper and apple cider vinegar. Using a whisk stir till dressing comes together.
- Pour prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetables in the large bowl and toss to combine so that everything is well coated and mixed.
- Tightly cover the pasta salad and place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 30 minutes or upwards of 2 to 4 hours if possible to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
Don't miss other helpful tips, recipe variations and storage information found in the full article above.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 785Total Fat: 57gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 46gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 1104mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 9gSugar: 44gProtein: 5g
Nutritional information provided is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products used and any changes made to the recipe. If these calculations are important to you, I recommend calculating them for yourself.