One day last summer, I wound up with a small amount of leftover coleslaw and a wee bit of cooked pasta in the fridge. As we tend to do with leftovers, I tossed them together and ate the pasta/coleslaw for lunch. It was GOOD. Live and learn, leftovers really can be amazing and this pasta salad is proof of that. I tweaked the coleslaw dressing a wee bit, wrote it all out, and made a plan to photograph the salad.
That was months and months ago! Finally, the other day, when I was ordering groceries to make a batch of Southern Style Coleslaw to go with our BBQ Pork Mac ‘n Cheese, I remembered to order extra cabbage so that I could make this pasta salad again. At long last, now that I finally have photos to add to this post, I’m able to share the recipe with you. And it is just in time for warmer weather too. I’m a huge fan of all kinds of cold salads once the weather starts to heat up.
Just a heads up that if you make this pasta more than a few hours in advance, the pasta will absorb more of the sauce. It will still be good, but it won’t be quite as creamy or saucy. I like to wait to stir it all together just before serving. If you want to make this salad ahead of time for easy meals, I recommend storing the dressing separately. Pour the dressing over each serving and toss to coat when you’re ready to eat.
Serve this salad with Beer and Garlic Grilled Chicken, Sweet and Tangy Pulled Pork, Garlic Butter Steak Bites, or Oven Broiled BBQ Chicken. And for even more salad inspiration, don’t miss the rest of our pasta salads. For another great dinner option that would be delicious with this pasta salad, I have these Smash Burgers on the list to try soon.
Coleslaw Pasta Salad Recipe
