Light and slightly tangy creamy pasta salad, with just enough dressing to coat the noodles and vegetables, this is one heck of an awesome summer pasta salad.
Perfect on its own for a light meal or as a side dish for all the summer potlucks and barbecues. Homemade pasta salad is better than any deli salad you can buy at the store.
A few years ago, while visiting my aunt and uncle, we were fortunate enough to arrive around dinnertime. (My aunt is a fabulous cook, so I tend to time my arrivals that way. You know, accidentally on purpose?)
Speaking of Aunt Judy’s amazing foods, have you tried her Almond Bars yet? Put them on your holiday baking list right now.
Her pasta salad was so simple and so delicious, I had to recreate it for my family as soon as I got back home. Thanks once again for the inspiration, Aunt Judy.
Summer Pasta Salad
This salad is filled with broccoli, cucumber, red pepper, black olives, and green onions. I am a big fan of pasta dishes that have a high ratio of vegetables to pasta, so don’t hesitate to add more or switch things up with your favorite vegetables.
Adding extra vegetables to a pasta salad is about more than just making it a little bit healthier. Vegetables add different flavors, textures, and colors to recipes like this one. This salad is about 50/50 pasta and vegetables and I often make it with more vegetables than are actually in the recipe.
Everything gets tossed in a light tangy dressing and the result is a fresh pasta salad that disappears quite literally almost as quickly as I can stir it together.
Recipes like this Asian Pasta Salad and this Summer Couscous Salad are a couple more that thrill my vegetable-loving heart.
Cooking the broccoli just long enough to brighten the color and soften the crunch gives this salad a little something extra. (So, I highly recommend that you don’t skip that step.)
That said, if you love the crunch of raw broccoli in salads, go ahead and make it however you like best. I’ve fallen in love with broccoli salads recently (FYI, this Cranberry Broccoli Bacon Salad is FANTASTIC!), so I get it if that’s your preference.
For this particular salad though, I still like to soften the broccoli a tiny bit, as instructed in the recipe below.
Pasta Salad Dressing
The dressing for this pasta salad is creamy, slightly tangy, a little bit sweet, and provides the perfect light complement to this salad.
As simple as it is, it’s absolutely perfect. A scoop of mayonnaise, a splash of vinegar, a sprinkling of salt, pepper, and sugar add up to a terrific pasta salad dressing that everyone enjoys.
If you haven’t tried the salad yet, I hope that you’ll love it every bit as much as we do. Every time I make this salad, I stash containers of it in the fridge for my lunches all week.
Creamy Pasta Salad
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:
Salad Ingredients
- salad macaroni or ditalini pasta
- tiny broccoli florets
- diced cucumber
- finely diced red pepper
- sliced black olives
- very thinly sliced green onion
Dressing Ingredients
- mayonnaise
- white wine or plain vinegar
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- sugar
Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe
- In a large pot, cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, adding a generous tablespoon or so of kosher salt to the water as it cooks.
- Just before the noodles are done cooking, add the broccoli to the pot. Let the broccoli boil for about 30 seconds and then drain everything into a large strainer. Rinse well with cold water.
- Stir together the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the bowl and stir well to coat.
- Add the cucumber, pepper, olives, and onions and stir again.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir again just before serving.
If you forget to toss the broccoli in the boiling water at the end of the pasta’s cooking time, you can also steam it in the microwave. Place the broccoli in a glass bowl along with a tablespoon of water. Microwave for 60-90 seconds, until the broccoli is bright green and barely softened.
Pasta Salad Recipes
If you love pasta salad for easy meals all year round, you’ll want to try this Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad and the Italian Artichoke and Tomato Pasta Salad after you’ve finished the last bite of this Creamy Pasta Salad.
Many of you are still going crazy over the Spinach Pasta Salad I shared so many years ago. I make that one on repeat all year long.
Crisp bacon and lettuce, tart tomatoes, creamy hard-boiled eggs, and jalapenos combine to create this creamy, slightly spicy Jalapeno BLT Pasta Salad.
The Tangy Italian Pasta Salad is another popular one. I have this Greek Pasta Salad on my list to try soon too. You just can’t have too many great pasta salads at your fingertips, right?
Savory chunks of chicken mingle with sweet grapes, crunchy walnuts, and crisp apples in this easy Chicken Waldorf Salad. This is a lunch you will put on repeat!
Creamy Summer Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 8 ounces salad macaroni or ditalini pasta
- 1 cup tiny broccoli florets
- ½ cup diced cucumber
- ½ cup finely diced red pepper
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- ¼ cup very thinly sliced green onion
Dressing Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons white wine or plain vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, adding a generous tablespoon or so of kosher salt to the water as it cooks. Just before the noodles are done cooking, add the broccoli to the pot. Let the broccoli boil for about 30 seconds and then drain everything into a large colander. Rinse well with cold water.
- Stir together the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the bowl and stir well to coat.
- Add the cucumber, pepper, olives, and onions and stir again. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir again just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
(originally published 6/6/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 3/22/23}
Michelle says
Hi Mary. Trying your recipe for the first time. We are attempting to triple it. Wish me luck 🙂
My question comes a little late as we are making it as I speak but….Do we use the entire green onion (green leaves and bulb) or just the white bulb part? It's hard to tell in the pictures. Thanks in advance for the answer!
Mary says
Hi Michelle,
I hope the salad turned out well for you! I typically slice the whole onions from the green tip down through most of the white bulb. I hope that helps for next time!
All the best,
Mary
Anonymous says
I just made this oh so good I just add grape tomatoes mmmmm. Love it
Charlotte says
I make this all the time, its really good!
Anonymous says
I'm thinking of trying this with frozen green peas instead of the brocolli and maybe celery instead of cucumber. It looks really good.
Jeanie C says
My daughter makes something similar. It has cheese in it. Yummy
Mary Villegas says
Can I use gluten free pasta? Will it be just as good? I have a daughter who cannot eat gluten and I don't want her not to be able to enjoy this delicious looking salad.
Mary says
I have made this with gluten free pasta and it's great that way. However, most GF pastas aren't their best 24 hours later, they tend to be much firmer than we like after being refrigerated for a while. So, typically, I won't double this recipe or plan on leftovers when making it GF.
Paul Cameron says
I added a cup of crumbled feta cheese and it really enhanced this dish 100 per cent
Mary says
That sounds great!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says
I live on pasta salad in the summer, I am definitely trying this one soon! Thanks for including my Greek version!
Louise Krüger says
The recipes looks absolute divine and I would really love them
Marty says
Can i add cubed cheese to the pasta salad?
Dorothy says
Is there nutritional info with the recipes..
André Paquet says
I just append to Côme acrost your web site in Pinterest, and i found your recepies quitte easy and fun to,do
Merci et continuez à nous aider dans la cuisine
André
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Connie says
this sounds really good going to make this, thank you for sharing .
Connie
Shirley says
How many servings
Abbey Robbins says
How many does this serve? It looks really good. I’m needing a recipe for 40-50 guests for my daughters graduation