There are some recipes that have been in our family for years. They show up to family parties and BBQ’s. This Creamy Pasta Salad is one of those recipes.
Cooking the broccoli just long enough to brighten the color and soften the crunch gives this salad a little something extra. (So, I highly recommend that you don’t skip that step.)
Light and slightly tangy Creamy Pasta Salad, with just enough creamy dressing to coat the noodles and vegetables, this is one heck of an awesome cold pasta salad.
If you haven’t tried the salad yet, I hope that you’ll love it every bit as much as we do. Every time I make this salad, I stash containers of it in the fridge for my lunches all week.
THE BEST CREAMY PASTA SALAD RECIPE
The absolute BEST Creamy Pasta Salad made with broccoli, cucumbers, olives, cheese, red onion, red pepper, and broccoli then tossed in a sweet and tangy dressing. This is the perfect pasta salad for parties and potlucks!
- Prep Time: 1 hr 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Ingredients
-
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
-
- 1 (3.8 ounce) can sliced olives (drained)
- 1 cup block Colby Jack cheese (cubed)
- 1 (16 ounce) package Ditalini pasta (or whatever pasta you have on hand)
- 1 cup broccoli florets (chopped)
- 1/2 red onion (minced)
- 1 red bell pepper (minced)
- 1 cucumber (diced)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Rinse well with cold water until pasta is cold.
- Place cooked and cooled pasta in a large mixing or serving bowl.
- Mix in broccoli florets, red onion, red bell pepper, cucumber, sliced olives and cheese.
- Whisk together all dressing ingredients and pour over pasta and other ingredients.
- Gently fold in dressing until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Cover your Creamy Pasta Salad with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.