14 Pasta Salad Seasonings You Never Thought To Try

An easy-to-prep, satisfying lunch, pasta salads (check out great recipes) combine carby comfort with fresh, crunchy veggies. It is perfect for making ahead in a big batch at the start of the week, popping in the fridge to let those flavors meld, and scooping a generous portion into your lunchbox or bowl each day. Pasta salads also offer room for customization. There are endless add-ins to explore, from sauces to meats and cheeses. But one element that can truly transform the flavor of the final dish is seasonings.

Popular seasonings for a typical pasta salad include dried herbs and garlic, perhaps combined with mayo and a splash of vinegar. However, if you're looking to take the flavor up a notch, it might be time to introduce slightly punchier seasonings. A whole host of lesser-used but delicious add-ins will result in a stand-out salad. With a sprinkling here and a dollop there, you can turn up the heat, deepen the umami richness, or add a much-needed dose of tanginess to a basic pasta salad. So, what are these mythical seasonings? Let's find out!

Gochujang is a Korean condiment made from fermented soybeans, glutinous rice, and chilis. This thick, red paste has a spicy, sweet, and earthy flavor. It's commonly added to marinades, sauces, and stir-fries. But its uses don't end there. Gochujang also makes an unexpectedly tasty addition to pasta dishes. It works beautifully as a base for a warm, creamy pasta sauce and can even enhance a classic carbonara. And in a cold pasta salad, it's the ultimate add-in if you're looking to inject heat and depth into the dish.

To make a gochujang-infused dressing for your pasta salad, combine the paste with complementary Asian-inspired ingredients, such as soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. If you prefer a creamier texture, add yogurt or mayo. To balance sweetness, include a dash of maple syrup or honey. Whisk everything and pour it over your cooked pasta and chopped veggies. This spicy dressing would pair fantastically with shredded chicken, diced bell peppers, carrots, and sugar snap peas. Toss the dressing with tender fusilli or bow tie pasta.

Another vastly underrated addition to pasta salad, fennel seeds can add a warm, licorice-like taste to the mix. These small seeds are the fennel plant's flowers. They're generally sold dried and found in the spice section of most large grocery stores.

Toast these seeds before combining them with other ingredients to bring out their unique flavor. Just add them to a frying pan with a splash of olive oil and cook them over medium-high heat for a few minutes until fragrant and toasted. You can use the seeds as they are or crush them in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to release even more of their aromatic flavor. Then, mix the seeds with other dressing ingredients, which might include balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon, and other herbs like parsley or thyme.

For the salad itself, incorporating fresh fennel is a no-brainer. This can be roasted, pan-fried, braised, or boiled before cooling and tossing with the pasta. It'll work wonderfully alongside sliced red onions, juicy tomatoes, sweet apples, and a range of veggies and fruits.

This seasoning isn't just for tacos! The medley of spices in the popular Mexican blend can fit just as well into a pasta salad. If you don't have a premade seasoning mix, you can always make your own taco seasoning by combining chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Then, it's a simple case of mixing the taco seasoning with other dressing ingredients. We love adding lime juice, honey, garlic, and a splash of olive oil.

For the salad, choose a selection of vibrant veggies. Diced avocado, tomato, and corn would tie in perfectly with the Mexican-inspired theme. You could even throw in some black beans for an extra protein boost or cooked meats like sliced chicken breast, pork, or beef. Pan-fried shrimp would make an excellent addition, too. Once the pasta has been boiled and drained, toss it with your taco dressing and other add-ins, then garnish with chopped cilantro for a fresh finish.

Mustard is a powerful flavor enhancer known for its distinctly sharp, tangy taste. Whether it's a smooth Dijon, hearty wholegrain, or good old yellow mustard, a spoonful of this flavorful condiment can work wonders in a pasta salad. And, of course, mustard pairs particularly well with honey, which balances that signature sharpness with a dose of sweetness. A homemade honey-mustard dressing can be a great option for creating a crowd-pleasing pasta salad with a tangy twist.

Whip up this creamy dressing by adding your choice of mustard to a mixing bowl, along with honey, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and salt and pepper. Whisk well to combine, then pour everything over the pasta salad. Peppery vegetables like radishes and arugula will work well here, as well as fresh green herbs like chives, tarragon, and parsley. Protein-wise, chicken is a classic option. You could even marinate this in honey mustard before cooking. Various cheeses can also serve as delicious add-ins. Try crumbling blue cheese or feta into the salad, tossing in mozzarella pearls, or scattering shaved Parmesan over the top. 

Love salty, savory flavors? Anchovy paste certainly won't let you down. This ingredient packs a pretty mighty umami punch, with a little going a long way in adding depth to any dish. Anchovy paste is incredibly versatile. It's a staple in the classic Italian puttanesca pasta sauce and often features in a Caesar salad dressing. You can add it to an array of sauces, dressings, soups, and dips, but somewhere it'll really shine is in a pasta salad. 

Combine the paste with fresh, aromatic flavors like garlic and lemon, which will balance its saltiness nicely. A good glug of olive oil will add richness, and a little vinegar will keep things bright. If you can't get hold of anchovy paste, finely mince or mash canned anchovy filets into a paste-like consistency instead.

Once you've perfected your dressing blend, it's time to toss everything together. To continue the seafood theme, pair the anchovy-infused dressing with cooked shrimp, tuna, or flaked salmon, and add it to your pasta and veg. Cooked and cooled asparagus, peas, or green beans are great options here, while olives or capers can add a wonderful briny element to the dish.

Often found in plant-based recipes, where it adds a mild, nutty flavor similar to that of cheese, nutritional yeast is a valuable tool for injecting subtle savory goodness into a pasta salad. It comes in flakes or powder form and dissolves easily in heated liquid; however, it needs extra help when added to cold ingredients. If you're using nutritional yeast, it's better to mix your dressing in a blender or food processor.

To make a flavor-packed, vegan-friendly dressing for your pasta salad, blend the nutritional yeast with a base of apple cider vinegar and olive oil — a classic dressing duo. Garlic is wonderful for adding aromatic depth; soy sauce amps up the umami richness, and tahini will make everything wonderfully creamy. Since the taste of nutritional yeast isn't overpowering, it'll fit brilliantly with just about any other savory additions to the salad. Add canned chickpeas or lentils, or fry tofu cubes until crispy and stir them into the pasta.

Give your pasta salad a spicy edge with the bold warmth of Cajun seasoning. A much-loved blend of spices like paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning offers a smoky, well-rounded kick. It can amplify the spiciness of other ingredients, such as hot sauce or red pepper flakes, or balance the creaminess of add-ins like mayo or yogurt.

This seasoning will work best when stirred into a dressing. As well as those mentioned above, some fitting accompaniments include Dijon mustard, lemon juice, or even prepared horseradish for a bold, peppery hit. For a dose of aromatic goodness, add finely minced onion or shallot into the dressing, and to keep things fresh and vibrant, throw in chopped green onions or a handful of herbs. If adding meat, seafood, or another protein source to your salad, season it with the Cajun seasoning before cooking it to balance all those spicy flavors beautifully.

We love spooning this vibrant green sauce over a perfectly seared steak, salmon filet, or fried egg. It's irresistibly herby, tangy, and spicy and works remarkably well as a salad dressing. Grab a premade version, or make your own chimichurri in minutes with a handful of fresh ingredients. You'll need red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced shallot and garlic, chopped parsley, cilantro, oregano, chives, and some red pepper flakes. Once these have been combined in a mixing bowl, pour in a generous glug of olive oil and sprinkle in salt and black pepper. Whisk well, and you'll have a bright, herbaceous dressing loaded with flavor.

All that's left to do now is to pour the dressing all over your pasta and other salad ingredients and give everything a good mix. You could opt for penne, fusilli, shells, or bow tie pasta here. Any short pasta will work great. The chimichurri tastes delicious alongside any meat, though chopped, cooked bacon is a particularly excellent option. Try incorporating some creamy crumbled feta, crunchy bell peppers, and juicy cherry tomatoes.

If you've ever made paella from scratch, you're likely familiar with this highly prized spice. Saffron has an incredibly unique taste, which can be described as earthy, floral, and sweet. The small red strands, often come with an eye-watering price tag, are typically stirred into warm fish stock as part of the paella-making process. However, its applications extend far beyond seafood and rice dishes. Add it to curries, stews, marinades, or sweet dishes like poached pears or cookies. And for a truly epic pasta salad, use a pinch of saffron in the dressing.

Saffron blends surprisingly well with other classic pasta salad dressing ingredients like lemon, garlic, herbs, and vinegar. You'll only need to add a small amount, say ½ teaspoon, to see that distinct flavor coming through. You'll also find that it gives the dressing a wonderful golden color. If desired, roast the saffron in the oven or bloom it on the stovetop with a splash of vinegar beforehand. This will help to bring out its distinct, earthy essence.

An umami-loaded ingredient made from fermented soybeans, miso paste is commonly added to soups, sauces, and marinades, where it imparts its signature salty, savory complexity. The paste comes in different forms, including white, yellow, and red miso. White miso tends to have a sweeter, milder taste, while yellow miso has more of a salty, acidic edge. The strongest flavor, however, comes from red miso. This is thanks to its lengthy fermentation process and greater soybean-to-rice ratio.

Miso paste doesn't require cooking, so you can spoon it into any pasta salad that needs an umami boost. One amazing way to use it is by mixing it into a dressing with creamy peanut butter, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and honey. The result is a mouth-watering, Asian-inspired dressing that coats the tender pasta and veggies in an indulgent layer of sweet and salt flavor. Thinly sliced carrot, sugar snap peas, radishes, and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro would taste fantastic with the pasta and dressing here.

So, what exactly is asafoetida? Well, this pungent spice, that's also known as "hing," is commonly used in Indian cuisine. And it has some pretty unusual origins. It's made by extracting sap from the roots of a plant called Ferula asafoetida. This sap is then dried and ground into powder form, which has a potent, sulfur-like aroma. This somewhat off-putting smell does, however, dissipate once the spice is cooked, where it becomes more aromatic, with a taste similar to that of onions or garlic. 

Because asafoetida requires cooking to mellow its flavor, it's best to heat it with other ingredients before adding it to a pasta salad. You can make a simple, Indian-inspired vinaigrette by frying the asafoetida with ground cumin and minced garlic before whisking in lemon or lime juice and honey for the perfect sweet-tangy balance. For extra heat, feel free to incorporate some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. Then, the dressing is ready to coat your other pasta salad elements.

Za'atar is a Middle Eastern favorite, and for good reason. This blend of herbs, spices, and sesame seeds strikes the right balance of earthiness and brightness. There are so many ways to use Za'atar in your cooking. For now, though, we're focusing on pasta salad, which couldn't be easier.

As usual, a dressing is the way to go here. Za'atar will readily combine with classic vinaigrette, a base of olive oil, lemon, and garlic. A dash of maple syrup and a pinch of salt would also go down a treat. You can whisk these ingredients in a bowl, add them to a lidded jar, and shake well, or toss everything into a blender and blitz for a smoother consistency. When choosing your additional pasta salad add-ins, you could always continue the Middle Eastern theme with ingredients like roasted aubergine, crumbled feta cheese, or chickpeas. A garnish of chopped fresh herbs like parsley or mint will finish everything off beautifully. 

Another spice blend often featured in traditional Indian recipes, garam masala is ideal for adding warmth to your pasta salad. Grab a store-bought blend or make homemade garam masala. For this, you'll need various whole spices, including cardamom seeds, cloves, and star anise pods. These get toasted in a dry pan and blitzed into a fine powder using a spice grinder. Once your garam masala is ready to go, it's time to concoct a flavorful dressing for your salad. 

If a creamy, tomato-based dressing appeals, go for a tikka masala-style mix. Combine the garam masala with tangy tomato paste, creamy yogurt, and zesty lime juice. Other spices like ground coriander, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper complement garam masala nicely. To bring out the flavors of the spices, heating the dressing in a saucepan is recommended before you toss it with the pasta salad. There's also the option to create a garam masala vinaigrette with olive oil and lemon if you'd prefer something lighter. However you use it, this spicy blend is sure to deliver on flavor.

To infuse your pasta salad with Caribbean flair, there's nothing more fitting than jerk seasoning. This fiery spice blend is known for its heat, but it also offers a wonderfully complex flavor with notes of smokiness, sweetness, and fruitiness. This is unsurprising since the blend features a remarkably wide array of herbs and spices, from thyme and parsley to allspice and cinnamon.

There are a few different ways to give your pasta salad the jerk treatment. Consider which ingredients will complement the seasoning's unique flavor profile when mixing it into a dressing. Offsetting the spice with something creamy like mayonnaise or yogurt can result in a deliciously well-balanced dish. A scattering of grated or shaved Parmesan adds a moreish nutty richness, and lime juice can give the dressing that all-important acidic element. And such a salad simply wouldn't feel complete without jerk-marinated chicken. Just shred or slice this before tossing it with the other ingredients. You could opt for a plant-based protein source here, too. We can confirm that this jerk-marinated tofu is exceptionally good.