The ultimate Creamy Pasta Salad – made with rotini pasta, fresh vegetables, garden herbs, mozzarella, and a creamy herb dressing. The perfect side dish for summer picnics and parties… and it doubles as a delicious main dish, too!
When I think of pasta salad, I think of THIS pasta salad. Rotini pasta. Tons of fresh veggies. A deliciously creamy dressing. It’s the type of pasta salad I grew up with… only better.
Because the pasta salad I grew up with was made with Miracle Whip… and cheddar cheese… and no fresh herbs. So I took what I know and love, and I put my own updated spin on it!
And let me tell you… this is the pasta salad of my DREAMS. Packed with veggies. Packed with herbs. Tossed in a delicious, savory, creamy herb dressing that’s to die for.
It’s the type of pasta salad I could eat with every meal. The type I’d go back for seconds of. The ONLY pasta salad I plan to make for all my summer parties and cookouts.
Don’t get me wrong… I still love my a good Greek Pasta Salad, and my Cucumber Pasta Salad is loaded with fresh dill and SO so good. But for this summer? It’s this Creamy Pasta Salad all the way. And I guarantee I’ll have no regrets.
what you’ll need for this recipe
Pasta – Pasta is the base of this recipe, and any type of short noodles will work best. I used rotini, but fusilli, bowtie, macaroni, or penne are also good options. Plan on using 12-16 ounces of pasta, depending on how noodle-y you want your pasta salad to be.
Vegetables – Any combination of your favorite vegetables is perfect for this recipe. I used broccoli, cauliflower, yellow pepper, tomatoes, and shredded carrots. You could also include zucchini, mushrooms, pea pods, radishes, or any color bell pepper.
Cheese – Cheese adds flavor and a bit of protein to this recipe. I used cubed mozzarella cheese, but cheddar, colby jack, or pepper jack would also be delicious. You can also substitute shredded for cubed.
Fresh herbs – Fresh herbs add a huge pop of color and flavor to this salad. I used a combination of Italian parsley, basil, and chives.
Creamy dressing – Homemade creamy dressing is the perfect finishing touch to this recipe. I made mine with a combination of mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs.
how to make creamy pasta salad
Boil the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package instructions. It’s important to cook them al dente so they don’t get mushy when you mix in the other ingredients.
Chop the vegetables. Halve the grape tomatoes and chop the vegetables into small pieces. Finely chop the fresh herbs.
Make the dressing. Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and whisking together.
Combine. In a large bowl, combine the cooked noodles, chopped veggies, herbs, and dressing. Mix well. If you won’t be serving the salad immediately, only add half the dressing and reserve the other half. Just before serving, stir in the remaining dressing.
Recipe Variations
- Use any type of short pasta noodles
- Substitute gluten free pasta
- Add any of your favorite vegetables, such as mushrooms, pea pods, zucchini, or radishes
- Use any type of cheese OR omit the cheese altogether
- Add fresh minced garlic for extra flavor
- Use any of your favorite fresh herbs
- Add chopped grilled chicken or any of your favorite proteins
- Substitute Green Goddess Dressing or Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- Make it non-creamy by substituting Lemon Vinaigrette or Greek Vinaigrette
tips & tricks
- Cook the noodles al dente and rinse them with cold water immediately after draining to stop the cooking process
- Keep salad and dressing separate until just before serving to avoid the noodles soaking up all the dressing (you can also reserve half of the dressing to add just before serving)
- For a more veggie-forward pasta salad, use less pasta
- Make extra dressing for leftovers, as the pasta will inevitably absorb it
Creamy Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 16 ounces rotini pasta cooked al dente
- 1 cup broccoli florets chopped
- 1 cup cauliflower florets chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 3/4 cup yellow pepper chopped
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots
- 2-3 green onions sliced
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese cubed
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs I used Italian parsley, basil & chives
Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayo
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic power
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs
Instructions
- Cook the pasta al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Set aside.
- Halve the grape tomatoes and chop the vegetables into small pieces. Finely chop the fresh herbs.
- Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and whisking together until smooth and creamy.
- n a large bowl, combine the cooked noodles, chopped veggies, herbs, and dressing. Mix well. Note: If you won't be serving the salad immediately, only add half the dressing and reserve the other half. Just before serving, stir in the remaining dressing.
Notes
Recipe Variations
- Use any type of short pasta noodles
- Substitute gluten free pasta
- Add any of your favorite vegetables, such as mushrooms, pea pods, zucchini, or radishes
- Use any type of cheese OR omit the cheese altogether
- Add fresh minced garlic for extra flavor
- Use any of your favorite fresh herbs
- Add chopped grilled chicken or any of your favorite proteins
- Substitute Green Goddess Dressing or Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- Make it non-creamy by substituting Lemon Vinaigrette or Greek Vinaigrette
Tips & Tricks
- Cook the noodles al dente and rinse them with cold water immediately after draining to stop the cooking process
- Keep salad and dressing separate until just before serving to avoid the noodles soaking up all the dressing (you can also reserve half of the dressing to add just before serving)
- For a more veggie-forward pasta salad, use less pasta
- Make extra dressing for leftovers, as the pasta will inevitably absorb it
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