If you have people coming over and zero interest in juggling five side dishes, make this. It is a big-batch, creamy-tangy pasta salad that feeds 12 without drama, travels well, and plays nicely with anything off the grill — kebabs, shashlik, whatever you are skewering this weekend.
What you need
- Pasta (enough for 12 servings)
- Mayonnaise
- Wine vinegar (just a little)
- Sugar
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Milk (to loosen the dressing)
- Optional: a few drops of cucumber pickle brine
- Bell pepper, pre-seared or lightly roasted
- Olives
- Pickles
- Green onions
How to pull it together
Cook the pasta to al dente. Rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking and keep the texture where you want it. Set it aside to drain well — a watery bowl is not the vibe.
Whisk the dressing: mayonnaise, a small splash of wine vinegar, a pinch of sugar, salt, and black pepper. Add enough milk to make it spoonable and silky rather than gloopy. If you like a little briny brightness, stir in a few drops of pickle brine. Taste it; you want creamy with gentle tang and a whisper of sweetness.
In a big mixing bowl, toss the pasta with about one-third of the dressing first. This step helps the sauce cling without drowning anything. Add the rest of the dressing, then fold in the bell pepper (give it a quick sear or roast beforehand for better flavor), olives, pickles, and green onions.
Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. The dressing will thicken as it rests, and the flavors settle into each other instead of shouting over the top of the pasta.
What to expect
It lands creamy, lightly tangy, and just sweet enough, with crisp bites of pepper and pickles to keep things interesting. No fussy ingredients, nothing fragile, and plenty to go around. Exactly what a summer spread needs.