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French Dressing Pasta Salad

French dressing pasta salad with retro, tangy-sweet coating and crisp vegetables. Elbow macaroni or rotini is cooked, rinsed cold, tossed with cheddar and vegetables, then chilled for classic flavor development.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

French Dressing Pasta Salad
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni or rotini
  • 1 cup French dressing (Catalina)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
  • 0.5 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, cubed
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the elbow macaroni or rotini according to package directions, then drain and rinse under cold water until cool to the touch.
  2. Spread the rinsed pasta on a sheet pan in a thin layer so it stops steaming and stays separate.
Toss the salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, red onion, and cheddar cheese.
  2. Pour in the French dressing (Catalina) and toss until every piece of pasta looks evenly coated with an orange-red sheen.
  3. Season with salt and pepper, stirring until the seasoning is distributed throughout the pasta salad.
Chill and finish
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours, covered, so the flavors meld and the dressing clings to the pasta.
  2. Toss again before serving; add more French dressing if needed so the pasta glistens in a vintage picnic-style coat.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta until fully cool so it doesn’t clump or absorb extra dressing as it sits. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; the flavors deepen over time but the vegetables stay crisp best through day 3. Freezing isn’t recommended because vegetables and pasta texture change. If you need a lighter option, use a reduced-sugar French dressing and slightly reduce the cheese to keep the tangy-sweet balance.