The Best Pasta Salads Start With The Right Pasta Shapes

Pasta salad is the life of any good party whether that's a picnic or a potluck. It's a dish that screams sunshine, good vibes, and endless creativity. Whether you're whipping up a garlicky lemon herb macaroni salad or going all out with an over-the-top BLT extravaganza, the ways to flavor and dress up your pasta salad are endless; just like the variety of pasta shapes. But does the shape really matter when it comes to tossing and serving up the ultimate pasta salad? You bet it does!

Let's first agree on one thing: The key to a great pasta salad is making sure the pasta is drenched in flavor and thoroughly coated with sauce. Just like how wavy chips hold more dip than flat ones, certain pasta shapes are better at soaking up sauce. That's why corkscrew-shaped pasta is your best bet for pasta salad. Those twists and spirals are perfect for catching every bit of that delicious sauce, covering every nook and cranny.

Choosing the right size and shape of pasta is the first and most essential step to mastering the pasta salad game. Before exploring the best shapes to add to your pasta salad repertoire, always opt for shorter pasta rather than long varieties since it's easier to serve them as an appetizer or side dish.

Among corkscrew-shaped pasta, fusilli and rotini are top choices. While both are spiral-shaped, fusilli have a wider, more open spiral; whereas rotini feature a tighter twist. This difference affects how well each holds different types of sauces. Fusilli is ideal for runnier, more liquid-based sauces or dressings, with its nooks perfectly capturing and holding all the juices — just like in this bold, tangy, pickle juice-infused pasta salad.

Bowtie pasta is another great option. The folds and ridges are excellent for holding flavor and it's aesthetically pleasing (especially when they come in different colors). For bold, thick dressings like pesto, tube-shaped pastas such as penne or macaroni are also wonderful, as they offer plenty of surface area to soak up the flavor.

While fresh pasta is undeniably delicious, it's not ideal for pasta salad. Its soft, delicate texture tends to get soggy when sitting in the fridge or soaking in dressing for too long. Al dente pasta, on the other hand, holds up much better when served cold and coated with sauce.

The rule of cooking pasta al dente still applies to pasta salad, but you'll want to cook it just slightly past al dente for a bit of extra tenderness even after it's chilled. Be careful not to overcook, though, pasta absorbs liquids quickly and overcooked pasta can turn into a mushy mess. And if you're tired of waiting for water to boil and looking for an energy-saving alternative, you can even try the pasta cooking hack suggested by a Nobel Prize-winning physicist. 

And don't forget, just like salting your water for any pasta dish, you can add a touch more salt to season the pasta specifically for pasta salad. And tossing the pasta with a little oil after draining will prevent it from sticking together. Lastly, it's always better to toss the pasta with sauce while it's still warm or at room temperature as it absorbs flavors more effectively than when chilled.