Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe
This Creamy Pasta Salad is a delicious and refreshing dish featuring tender pasta shells tossed with fresh broccoli, red onion, cucumber, sweet red pepper, and ripe olives, all coated in a tangy homemade mayonnaise dressing. It’s perfect as a side dish for picnics, barbecues, or light lunches, combining crunchy vegetables with a creamy, flavorful dressing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 1 pound uncooked medium pasta shells
- 1 cup fresh broccoli florets, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
- 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the medium pasta shells according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it well with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down.
- Add the vegetables: Transfer the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped broccoli florets, red onion, cucumber, sweet red pepper, and drained sliced ripe olives.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Toss and chill: Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Toss everything thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are coated evenly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the pasta salad for one to two hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the salad to chill before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt for a lighter dressing variant.
- Adding fresh herbs like dill or parsley can enhance the flavor.
- For a vegan version, use vegan mayonnaise.
- This pasta salad can be prepared a day ahead to intensify the flavors.
- Make sure to rinse the pasta in cold water to prevent it from sticking together and to cool it effectively for the salad.
Keywords: creamy pasta salad, pasta salad with vegetables, picnic salad, easy pasta salad, broccoli pasta salad, mayonnaise dressing pasta
Find it online: https://chefmilacook.com/creamy-pasta-salad-recipe/
