This Bowl of Bows Pasta Salad is a family favourite! The dressing is tangy, garlicky and so delicious. It pairs perfectly with summer BBQ recipes.
Pasta salads are THE BEST. I’ve yet to meet a pasta salad that I haven’t liked. They’re a perfect side dish to summer barbecues, they make a great picnic lunch, and if you toss in some grilled chicken they’re a full meal. So good.
This recipe for Bowl of Bows is my family’s most favourite pasta salad ever. Made with delicious noodles, chopped fresh green onion and black olives, all tossed in a garlic parmesan vinaigrette. Delicious. Sometimes the most simple recipes are the best ones. This salad doesn’t need anything added to it at all…it’s amazing the way it is. I hope you try this recipe and love it as much as we do!
Bowl of Bows Recipe Tips:
- You can add chopped fresh vegetables to this salad as well. Sometimes I’ll add fresh peas, broccoli and grape tomatoes.
- This recipe calls for bow shaped pasta, but free free to use any kind of pasta like rotini and macaroni.
- You can make this salad the night before you wish to serve it. I think it’s even better after it has sat for a while.
- This is a great salad to take to a potluck or picnic too!

Bowl of Bows Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 - 8 oz package of dried pasta bows
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 1/3 cup vinegar
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp parsley flakes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1 can pitted whole black olives
Instructions
- Boil the noodles until they are al dente. When they are done, drain then rinse them with cold water.
- While the noodles are boiling, you can make the dressing.
- Combine the oil, vinegar, all the spices, green onion, and parmesan cheese.
- Toss the cooked noodles in the dressing.
- Then toss in the black olives.
- Chill for at least 4 hours.
- Make sure to stir the salad well before serving it, as the dressing tends to go to the bottom of the bowl.
- Enjoy!
Recipe from my Mom at the Keeping up with the times blog

My original photo
More Delicious Pasta Salad Recipes to Try:
Have a delicious day!

7 Comments
Ali Richardson
March 23, 2012 at 12:01 AMYummy! I’m a pasta girl at my core 🙂 Can’t get enough…carbs. Arg.
[email protected]
March 23, 2012 at 2:02 AMLove this pasta recipe. I will have to try it very soon. Enjoying your blog. Nice to read about a mom being excited about her kids being on spring break. Enjoy.
Bakeaholic Carrie
March 23, 2012 at 1:39 PMI love pasta salads in the summer time! I will have to make this since I’m craving summer lately!!
Kelly @ EclecticallyVintage
March 23, 2012 at 8:06 PMI love pasta salad and this looks yummy! I do something similar but add red peppers and feta.
I’m craving it now!
Kelly
fuelmyfamily
March 24, 2012 at 7:23 PMpasta salad is my husbands favorite. He would love this!
tinajo
March 25, 2012 at 10:27 PMThis looks really good and you have a lovely blog! 🙂
Rebecca Payne
May 22, 2020 at 9:43 AMI can’t wait to try it.