Go Back

Creamy Pasta Salad

Creamy pasta salad with colorful vegetables and a tangy mayonnaise-sour cream dressing. Rotini or bow-tie pasta is rinsed cold for a firm bite, then chilled so flavors meld for a classic side dish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

pasta base
  • 1 lb rotini or bow-tie pasta
creamy dressing
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.25 Salt and pepper to taste
vegetable mix
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 0.5 cup celery, diced
  • 0.5 cup shredded carrots

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook rotini or bow-tie pasta according to package directions until tender, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
  2. Spread the rinsed pasta on a sheet pan in a single layer and cool until no longer warm.
Make the creamy dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until smooth and evenly combined.
Combine and chill
  1. Add cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, celery, and shredded carrots to the dressing.
  2. Toss until everything is well coated, with vegetables evenly distributed through the pasta.
  3. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 2 hours so the flavors meld and the dressing thickens slightly.
Serve
  1. Toss again before serving and adjust seasonings if needed, using a spoonful to check for balanced creaminess and tang.

Notes

For the best texture, rinse the pasta until fully cool so it doesn’t steam in the fridge and soften too much. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3–4 days; the salad does not freeze well because the creamy dressing can separate. If you want a lighter version, swap part or all of the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt for a tangier, lower-fat dressing while keeping the same chilling time.