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Summer meals and cold pasta salads go together like peanut butter and jelly. Whether you’re eating it at a park, serving it at a barbecue or potluck, or just making it ahead of time and stashing it in the fridge for easy lunches, this bowtie pasta salad always satisfies.
Bowtie Pasta Salad
What I especially love about this dish is how customizable it is. I typically make this with whichever vegetables I happen to have on hand at the time. Do you have an abundance of zucchini this summer? Toss it into the salad. Lots of tomatoes? Dice them up and add them to the salad.
Want to turn this into a heartier pasta salad? Try adding some chopped grilled chicken, ham, shrimp, or some tuna fish. If you have a family of cheese lovers, tiny cubes of cheddar cheese make a great addition as well.
Pasta Salad with Bowtie Pasta
I love using mini bowties for this recipe whenever possible, because really? They are just adorable. But also, because the shape holds onto the creamy dressing so well and gathers all the vegetables to it, guaranteeing that every bite will be full of different flavors and textures.
The smaller pasta balances all the vegetables nicely, so that there is a bit of all the different flavors in each bite. And when it comes to the vegetables, we’re not skimping here. Broccoli florets, crisp cucumber, sweet red bell pepper, and a little bit of red onion give this salad a whole lot of texture and crunch.
Creamy Pasta Salad
The dressing for this salad is simple, but it packs a tangy punch. The mayonnaise base makes it creamy and satisfying, white wine vinegar adds a bit of brightness, and a tiny pinch of sugar rounds it out just right. A generous sprinkling of black pepper brings in just a hint of heat that can be adjusted to anyone’s tastes.
For a few more creamy pasta salads you might want to try, check out this Bacon Pasta Salad. It has a bright, smoky dressing made with just a few ingredients, and it’s a perfect match for the bacon and eggs.
Tender pasta, fresh corn, and red onions are tossed with a creamy, spicy sauce of mayonnaise, lime, cilantro, and cotija cheese to create this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad. Tangy, crunchy, slightly sweet and perfect for a light meal or a terrific side dish, Coleslaw Pasta Salad is a keeper too.
Tender bites of chicken, sweet grapes, pasta, are combined and tossed with a creamy poppyseed dressing to make this simple Poppyseed Chicken and Grape Pasta Salad.
Bowtie Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 8 ounces mini bowtie pasta OR alternate tiny pasta
- 1 broccoli crown cut into tiny broccoli florets about 2 cups
- 1 small English cucumber diced into ½-inch pieces about 1 cup
- 1 small red pepper diced into ½-inch pieces about ¾ cup
- ¼ small red onion very thinly sliced and chopped about ¼ cup
Dressing Ingredients
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al dente, according to the directions on the package, adding a generous tablespoon or so of kosher salt to the water as it cooks. When the pasta is done, drain it in a large colander and rinse well with cold water to halt the cooking process.
- While the pasta is cooking, 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. Set aside.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Wonderful pasta salad!
I’m glad you like it!