The Ultimate Aussie Pasta Salad: A Classic “Bring a Plate” Favourite

There’s a reason pasta salad shows up at nearly every Australian barbecue, family gathering and Christmas lunch – it’s colourful, endlessly adaptable, and always disappears fast. This version brings together everything a good Aussie pasta salad should: curly pasta, crunchy capsicum and corn, juicy cherry tomatoes, salty ham, and a herby, tangy dressing that ties it all together. It’s the kind of dish you can make the night before, and it only gets better sitting in the fridge, making it the perfect “bring a plate” option whenever you’re asked to contribute something to the table.

The Ultimate Aussie Pasta Salad
Serves 8 as a side | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients

500g curly pasta (fusilli or rotini work well)
1 red capsicum, diced
420g can corn kernels, drained
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
200g leg ham, diced
4 shallots (spring onions), sliced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 avocado, diced (add just before serving)

Dressing

1/2 cup whole-egg mayonnaise
2 tablespoons French salad dressing or Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to packet instructions, until al dente. Drain, then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta down.

While the pasta cooks, whisk together the mayonnaise, French dressing or Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar and crushed garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled pasta, capsicum, corn, cherry tomatoes, ham, shallots and parsley.

Pour over the dressing and toss gently until everything is well coated.

Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight, to let the flavours develop.

Just before serving, fold through the diced avocado, so it stays fresh and doesn’t discolour while the salad chills.

Tips

This salad genuinely improves overnight, making it one of the easiest dishes to prepare a day ahead of a gathering.

Add the avocado right before serving, not before – it browns quickly and is best kept separate until the last minute.

Not a fan of ham? Swap in shredded barbecue chicken, or leave the meat out entirely and add a drained can of chickpeas for a vegetarian version.

If you don’t have French dressing on hand, a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of dried oregano stirred through the mayonnaise makes a great substitute.

Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.