Angel Hair Pasta Salad

by

Summer cookout season is HERE, which means I will be making this pasta salad approximately every other weekend. It’s the dish. THE dish. The one that gets scraped CLEAN before anything else on the table. Olives, carrots, tomatoes, angel hair tossed in mayo and Italian dressing with a heavy hand of Cavender’s Greek seasoning. Easy, fresh, and wildly good.

angel hair pasta salad
Image: jesslovescooking.com / All Rights reserved

Why Angel Hair Works Best Here

Angel hair’s thin strands soak up that creamy mayo-Italian dressing FAST… no waiting around for flavor. It also cools down in SECONDS after rinsing (which matters when you’re hungry NOW

The delicate texture won’t crush your shaved carrots or burst those halved tomatoes either. Substituting thicker noodles like rotini or penne will weigh the whole salad down. Just don’t

How to Keep It from Getting Mushy

  • Cook the angel hair ONE MINUTE LESS than package directions. It’s paper thin and goes from al dente to mush in seconds…. set a timer
  • Rinse under COLD water the second you drain it. Stops the cooking AND cools the noodles fast
  • Toss with a splash of Italian dressing right after rinsing. Coats every strand so nothing clumps into a sticky blob (this step matters!).
  • Salt your water generously. Seasoned pasta holds up better than plain boiled noodles
  • Refrigerate at least an hour. Everything sets up properly during the chill

Angel hair is delicate stuff. Cook LESS than you think, cool it FAST, and you’ll never have mushy noodles again

What Is Cavender’s Greek Seasoning?

Cavender’s Greek Seasoning is an American-made blend (yep, not actually Greek!) loaded with SALT, garlic, oregano, black pepper, and parsley. A pantry staple across the American South for decades, it delivers herby, salty punch without juggling ten spice jars.

It contains salt, so taste BEFORE adding extra… start with ONE tablespoon, then bump it up. (Some folks swear by two tablespoons in this salad!)

Make-Ahead & Storage Tips

  • ADD DRESSING GRADUALLY….pasta drinks up the mayo and Italian dressing overnight. Reserve some on the side and toss in before serving to keep it creamy!
  • STORE IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER in the fridge for up to 4 days. Stir well before serving since dressing settles at the bottom.
  • COOK PASTA AL DENTE so it holds its shape after chilling and doesn’t turn into mush by hour five!
  • PARTY PREP MOVE: Keep dressing separate and combine 1-2 hours before serving for peak texture.

What to Serve with Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is built for the grill crowd…. smoky mains, crispy sides, and anything that wants a creamy, tangy sidekick to lean on.

  1. Grilled chicken (thighs, breasts, whatever) drizzled with a little extra Italian dressing for the win.
  2. Burgers and hot dogs at a backyard cookout. Classic for a reason.
  3. BBQ ribs or pulled pork. The cool pasta cuts the richness like a dream.
  4. Grilled shrimp skewers with lemon. Light, fast, DONE.
  5. Italian sub or caprese sandwich on crusty bread. Carb on carb? Yes please.
  6. Sliced grilled steak with sea salt. Simple, but the salad does the heavy lifting.
  7. Fried chicken, because creamy pasta and crispy chicken was made for each other.
  8. Bruschetta or a green salad if you want to keep it light and Italian-ish.

Recipes Like This One

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

  • Calories: 2000-2200
  • Protein: 20-25 g
  • Fat: 150-160 g
  • Carbohydrates: 200-220 g

Ingredients

  • 1 lb angel hair pasta (16 oz)
  • 1 can (3.8 oz) sliced black olives
  • 2 cups shaved carrots
  • 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup mayonnaise (adjust to taste)
  • 1 cup italian dressing
  • 1 tbsp cavender’s greek seasoning (use 1-2 tbsp to taste)

Step 1: Boil and Cool Pasta

  • 1 lb angel hair pasta (16 oz)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the angel hair pasta and cook according to the package directions, stirring occasionally, until al dente.

Once cooked, drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it under cold running water to stop the cooking process and cool the noodles.

Step 2: Toss the Salad Ingredients

  • cooked and cooled angel hair pasta (from Step 1)
  • 1 can (3.8 oz) sliced black olives
  • 2 cups shaved carrots
  • 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup mayonnaise (adjust to taste)
  • 1 cup Italian dressing
  • 1 tbsp Cavender’s Greek seasoning (use 1-2 tbsp to taste)

In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled angel hair pasta from Step 1, sliced black olives, shaved carrots, and halved cherry or grape tomatoes.

Add the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, and Cavender’s Greek seasoning.

Mix all ingredients thoroughly to coat the pasta and vegetables evenly with the creamy dressing and seasoning.

I like to taste the mixture at this stage and adjust the seasoning or dressing to suit my preference.

Step 3: Refrigerate and Marinate

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld together.

If you’re in a hurry, you can serve it immediately, but chilling enhances the taste and texture.

Stir before serving to redistribute the dressing.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Leave a Comment