Pasta salad is a moderately filling preparation of with pasta with vegetables of choice that is great for snacks, potlucks and outdoor picnics. Served cold, pasta salad tastes best when chilled overnight and is relatively easy to make. Pasta salad is made rich and creamy with Swiss cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and can have cooked ham, eggs, green onions and peas. It is further flavored with paprika, hot pepper sauce and prepared mustard.