Crowd Pleasing Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is creamy, tangy, and packed with crunch, making it the perfect dish for gatherings and potlucks.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 2 10

Servings: 20 servings

Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 300

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Pasta and Crunch

3 pounds short pasta like rotini, bowties, or penne Cook until just tender.
3 cups diced cucumbers Dry slightly after chopping.
2 cups diced bell pepper
1.5 cups diced celery

Seasoning and Flavor

1.5 cups thin sliced red onion
1 cup sliced black olives Optional
2.5 cups cubed cheddar or mozzarella cheese
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes Add just before serving for freshness.
1 cup chopped parsley

Dressing

2.25 cups mayonnaise
0.75 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
0.5 cup pickle relish
0.33 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Seasonings

2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt Start with 2 teaspoons and adjust to taste.
1 teaspoon black pepper

Method

Preparation

Cook your pasta in well salted water until just tender. Drain and rinse briefly with cool water.
In a large bowl, stir together mayo, sour cream, relish, vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Taste the dressing and adjust as necessary, adding more vinegar for tang or mustard for zip.

Mixing

Toss the pasta with about two-thirds of the dressing first, then fold in cucumbers, peppers, celery, onion, olives, tomatoes, cheese, and parsley.
Add more dressing as needed to achieve desired creaminess.

Chill

Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Adjust salt and pepper just before serving.

Notes

For best results, make the salad a day ahead. Save a little dressing to refresh before serving. Use a large bowl and an ice bath for serving to keep it chilled.