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Creamy Pasta Salad

Creamy pasta salad with rotini, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and fresh dill in a large white bowl
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Quick and easy creamy pasta salad bursting with fresh flavors. Made with rotini pasta, a tangy mayo-based dressing, and crisp fresh vegetables – this crowd-pleasing side dish takes just 25 minutes of active prep and gets even better after chilling.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz rotini pasta
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup sliced black olives
  • 1/2 cup diced cucumber
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook until just al dente according to package directions, about 8 to 9 minutes. Do not overcook.
  2. While the pasta cooks, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, white vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy with no streaks.
  3. Drain the cooked pasta and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until completely cooled. This stops the cooking and removes excess starch.
  4. Add the cooled pasta along with the celery, red onion, cherry tomatoes, black olives, cucumber, parsley, and dill to the dressing. Reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of dressing in a small bowl. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Overnight chilling is recommended for best flavor.
  6. Stir well before serving. Add the reserved dressing if the salad seems dry. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve cold.

Notes

  • Reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of dressing before mixing and stir it in just before serving if the salad seems dry after chilling – pasta absorbs dressing as it sits.
  • For a vegan version, substitute vegan mayonnaise and dairy-free sour cream with no significant change to flavor or texture.
  • Soak diced red onion in cold water for 5 minutes before adding to mellow the sharp bite.
  • Do not freeze this salad – the mayo-based dressing will break when thawed and vegetables will lose their texture.

Nutrition

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