Creamy pasta salad with mayonnaise recipe is a great side dish for any bbq or potluck. So simple you can load up with anything like bacon bits, rotisserie chicken or just diced vegetables.
It is almost summer and what that means to us is grilling and lots of yummy side dishes to go along with your meats. We have several that are super easy side dishes to throw together, and this is one of them! Loaded with parmesan goodness and itโs really pretty too. (affiliate links present)
Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe
Super yum right??!! I love having a few easy side dish recipes ready when we are invited over for a potluck, BBQ, or we are having people overโฆafter all itโs all about all the different goodies when you get together right!
When it comes down to it though it has to be EASY and things I usually already have in my fridge or are easy to grab and go at the store. Now this could be served cold or warm with a ton of different variations to it. For a Mexican flare you can tweak it with taco seasoning in the dressing which is delish. Load up the veggies for more Mediterranean.
Ingredients
- Pasta โ any shape you really want
- Mayonnaise, best foods is better than Miracle Whip for creamy pasta salad with mayo
- Onions diced adds texture and flavor
- Red bell peppers of any color diced
- Celery we like to add but optional of course
- Use a bit of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, even dill pickle juice works
- Could add tomatoes and zucchini like in our roasted vegetable pasta salad
- Hard boiled egg diced are gerat
- Pepperoni or bacon bits are optional
- Parmesan cheese or crumbled Feta
Variations
You really could use just about any fork sized short pasta noodle like bow tie, elbow macaroni pasta or otherwise but we will use penne for now. Of course with any pasta salad you can also add as many yummy add ins youโd like or just make it really simple, your choice. You just;
with Chicken
Adding meat into the mix will transition it to more of a main dish and create a heartier dish. Anything works chopped up into small bits. As long as it is precooked you are good to go. I use leftovers in this case, a great way to make sure it doesnโt go to waste! Add bacon bits, diced ham, chopped up rotisserie chicken, added protein would be great too!
What else can you add?
Just defrost some frozen peas and fold those right in there too. Drained corn kernels would work well too, or olives! You could boil potatoes in Instant Pot, cool, and dice them too if you wanted to add another element to the dish. I will go over other ideas you could add if you arenโt a huge fan of one of the ingredients we used listed here. There are TONS of possibilities so use what you like but other options are below as well.
How to Make Creamy Pasta Salad
- Boil noodles until al dente, drain and then run under cold water. Rinsing the pasta is done to stop the cooking and cool it down.
- Combine ingredients for your creamy dressing
- Fold noodles together with the toppings that you wan. Add drained cooked pasta and gently mix
- Gently fold in seasonings of your choice.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving to let it cool and allow the flavors to deepen.
You really could serve this warm or cold but typically it is a sort of side dish for a barbecue that you would serve with chicken or beef. If you wanted it to be warm just boil and drain without cooling it down and fold in everything else right away and serve!
You can use any type of shells or shape you want but you definitely want to cool them completely after boiled to al dente. If you add mayo to hot pasta, the heat can cause the mayo to break down or separate, resulting in a greasy texture rather than a creamy one. Instead, drain immediately, rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process, and then fold in other ingredients to make creamy.
Should pasta be cold before adding mayonnaise?
Yes, if you add mayonnaise to hot or warm pasta, the heat can cause the mayonnaise to separate. This will result in an oily texture and an unappealing appearance and look. It also wonโt stick well so you are better off letting it cool first.
How to store leftovers
You can store any sort of plain or tuna macaroni salad covered in a sealed container in refrigerator for up to 2 days. Fold in a bit more mayo with leftovers to make it creamy once again as it will dry up a bit in the cold air.
Cheese is a given for us on the top. For my husband I have found a great type of dairy free shredded varieties from Daiya at the market too. It doesnโt melt well but for cold dishes you canโt really tell the difference. I would keep this on the side if traveling with it and add once you get there or the texture will get strange. You could add;
Creamy Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 1 pot to boil noodles
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spoon
Ingredients
- 12 oz penne pasta, boiled and drained
- 1/2 c mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt, to taste
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1-2 hard boiled egg, peeled and diced
- 1 small bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 c onion, diced, optional
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese, as fresh as possible
- 10 pieces pepperoni, quartered, optional or 2 tbsp bacon bits
- 1 tbsp parsley, diced, optional
Instructions
- Boil noodles until al dente, drain in a colander, run cool water over the top to stop cooking and cool it down. Set aside.
- Combine mayonnaise, vinegar and seasonings. Fold together with the diced vegetables, pasta, pepperoni and grated parmesan. Add drained cooked pasta and gently mix well. Gently fold in diced hard boiled egg. Taste, add salt and/or pepper to your liking. Top with chopped fresh parsley.
- Can store covered in refrigerator for up to 2 days. Fold in a bit more mayo with leftovers to make it creamy once again.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Other Things to Add into a Pasta Salad
- Cubed mozzarella, cheddar, or feta cheese
- Crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese
- Red onion or green onions
- Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
- Sliced almonds are great for a crunch
- Chopped walnuts
- Sunflower seeds work for nut free allergies
- Pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- Olives, such as Kalamata or green, pitted and halved
- Roasted jalapenos or red peppers, chopped will give it a spicy kick
- Artichoke hearts, chopped
- Corn kernels (fresh, canned, or frozen)
- Cooked and cooled beans, like chickpeas, black beans, or kidney beans
You donโt have to buy bottled from the store. There are ingredients you can whisk together at home to make something light and lo-cal like. Of course that is an option though, a creamy Italian bottled would be your best bet if you need to go that route.
Pasta Salad Dressings
- Olive oil and balsamic vinegar
- Italian dressing
- Ranch dressing
- Lemon vinaigrette
- Pesto sauce
- Dijon mustard and olive oil
Seasonings you could add beyond the obvious salt and pepper to taste would be;
- Red pepper flakes for some heat
- Garlic powder or minced garlic
- Lemon zest for a burst of citrus flavor
Feel free to mix and match these ingredients to create a pasta salad that suits your taste preferences and dietary needs. Remember to balance flavors, textures, and colors for an appealing and satisfying dish. Itโs nice to have a few easy side dish recipes ready for when itโs time for a BBQ or otherwise. If you love this creamy pasta salad recipe try this:
- Our simple potato salad is good but amped up to make cold bacon pasta salad is even better.
- Our dill pickle pasta salad gets people going for sure
Hereโs the entire recipe as seen here, just omit anything youโd like. ๐
