My mother-in-law makes a pasta salad that I fell in love with when my husband and I first started dating. It was a hot afternoon and the whole family had gathered at her house that Sunday afternoon for an afternoon swim and supper.
Ribs had been cooking all afternoon and were fall off the bone delicious. Green beans had been simmering on the stove and of course she had homemade ice cream and her scrumptious key lime pie to go along with it.
Then, she brought out a huge wooden bowl filled to the brim with this delectable pasta salad. She used a tri-colored twirl pasta that was a feast for the eyes as much as for our tummies.
Luckily for me, during our engagement, friends of ours hosted a recipe shower for me where guests brought many of their favorite recipes along with a dish to either cook or serve the recipe.
By the way, if you are planning a shower for an engaged couple, I couldn’t recommend a recipe shower enough!
Well, low and behold, one of the recipes that my then future mother-in-law gave me was this recipe for her pasta salad.
It is easy as pie to make and serves a crowd.
Perfect for summer suppers.
It works perfectly as a side dish, but you know what? It also makes a very filling lunch and works just as well for family reunions or potlucks! It is a well-loved recipe!
Here’s how I make it.
A simple, delicious pasta salad perfect for warm weather entertaining.
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce package twirl pasta
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1 bunch spring onions, chopped
- 1 8-ounce package black olives
- 1 8-ounce bottle Italian dressing
Instructions
http://addapinch.com/cooking/2011/06/02/grannas-pasta-salad/
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Drain and cool.
- Mix in cucumber, onions, and black olives.
- Pour in Italian dressing and mix-well.
- Serve cool.
Copyright © Add a Pinch. All Rights Reserved.
Enjoy!


Contact Robyn
Subscribe to Cooking







You had me just with the olives! Beautiful pasta salad!
I love recipes like this! This is prefect for the summer
This sounds SO perfect for summer. I’m bookmarking to make this soon. I make a pasta salad that also uses cucumber and I love the combination. Thanks for sharing this. Have a great day Robyn!
Yum! I do a salad like this, I love to add some water chestnuts to it for some crunch….and what I love is how it can be simple to lots of stuff added – the possibilities are endless. Thanks for posting, I haven’t had it in a while & now know what to add to our dinner menu tonight!
Never had a pasta salad with cucumbers and now wondering…why? Sounds like the perfect summer dish.
That looks delicious! I love pasta salad with olives and onions – so yummy!
Star Hughes Living