Pasta can be eaten in many shapes and forms, but not all of them are created equal. Certain pasta shapes work better with certain pasta dishes—including pasta salad. If you’re not sure which pasta shape to go with when making this dish, use this brief guide to make the right choice.
Ditch Fresh Pasta
There’s something truly magical about fresh pasta and it can take many pasta dishes to the next level, but pasta salad isn’t one of them. Fresh pasta works much better with warm pasta dishes, and it won’t do such a great job when combined with your dressings and other salad ingredients.
Say No to Long Pasta
Making pasta salad with long pasta shapes isn’t impossible, but it won’t do your salad any good. Long pasta shapes, such as linguine and spaghetti, can be a good choice if you’re making pasta salad for yourself alone, but they’ll give you a lot of trouble if you want to serve it to a larger group.
Shorter Varieties
When it comes to pasta salad, shorter pasta varieties are the way to go! From fusilli and gnocchi to farfalle, and penne, shorter shapes will do wonders for your pasta salads because salad dressings and other ingredients will easily get trapped in their tiny nooks and crannies.
