Easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser, this delicious vegetable pasta salad with creamy dressing will be a go-to pasta salad recipe this summer. It includes plenty of veggies, cheddar cheese and a simple homemade dressing.
I don’t know why, but I always associate pasta salad with summer. Sure, I eat pasta all year round, but I usually reserve pasta salad (for the most part) for the summer months.
Pasta salad is one of those recipes that is easy to put together when you are asked to bring something along to a barbecue or casual get-together, and it’s always a crowd favourite.
I’ve been craving pasta salad a lot lately, so this easy vegetable pasta salad recipe has been in high rotation in our home.
With the creamy herbaceous dressing, crunchy veggies and savoury cheddar cheese, it’s such a delicious combination and each bite will have you craving another!
Ingredients
- Creamy dressing: Includes mayonnaise, chives, parsley, white vinegar, Dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
- Rotini pasta
- Vegetables: Includes broccoli, bell pepper, grape tomatoes and red onion.
- Cheddar cheese
How To Make This Vegetable Pasta Salad
Here is an overview of how to make this vegetable pasta salad (full details are in the recipe card below):
- Make the creamy dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, chives, parsley, white vinegar, Dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper in a bowl.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.
- Add the cooked pasta, broccoli, bell pepper, tomatoes, cheddar cheese and red onion to a large bowl.
- Pour the creamy dressing over top of the pasta salad ingredients.
- Stir to combine the pasta salad with the dressing.
- Transfer the pasta salad to a serving bowl. Now this yummy vegetable pasta salad with creamy dressing is ready to be enjoyed!
Top Tip
I always like to cook the pasta a minute or two longer than the package instructions. I find that once it’s cool, it firms up a bit so the extra cook time helps.
What To Serve With It
Of course, you can serve this veggie pasta salad on its own, but it pairs well with so many things, such as burgers, chicken burgers, grilled chicken, a juicy barbecued steak, veggie kabobs or a chicken pesto sandwich (perfect for a picnic). Heck, I often enjoy this pasta salad for lunch with some tinned tuna. It’s quite versatile!
Tips and Variations
- Drain the pasta well: After cooking, make sure your pasta is drained well so the excess water doesn’t dilute the creamy dressing.
- Pasta variety: I used rotini, but you can use another variety, such as penne, fusilli or bow tie pasta.
- Vegetables: If you like more (or less) of a particular veggie, feel free to adjust the quantity. You can also mix things up and substitute with other veggies, such as corn, cauliflower, roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes.
- Cheese: I used a marble cheddar cheese. If you like, you can substitute with something else, such as Havarti or Gouda.
- Protein: Feel like adding some extra oomph to your vegetable pasta salad? Mix in some cubed deli ham for an extra element of flavour and protein.
- Lighten things up: If you want to lighten up the dressing a bit, you can substitute some of the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt. Just keep in mind that you may want to add a little more salt to the dressing. Give it a taste; if you feel like it needs more salt, add it.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
If you try this easy vegetable pasta salad recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!
Vegetable Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Creamy Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise, I used a light variety
- ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Vegetable Pasta Salad
- 8 ounces dried rotini pasta, about 2 cups of dry pasta
- 1 cup small broccoli florets
- 1 cup diced bell pepper, whatever colour you like
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 1 cup diced cheddar cheese
- ½ cup diced red onion
Instructions
- Make the creamy dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chives, parsley, white vinegar, Dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the rotini pasta about 1 to 2 minutes longer than the package instructions. Drain well, rinse under cold water, and then drain well again.
- Assemble the pasta salad: Place the cooked rotini pasta in a large bowl, then add the broccoli florets, bell pepper, grape tomatoes, cheddar cheese and red onion. Pour over the creamy dressing. Stir to combine. Taste and add more salt and black pepper, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Drain the pasta well: After cooking, make sure your pasta is drained well so the excess water doesn’t dilute the creamy dressing.
- Pasta variety: I used rotini, but (as mentioned), you can use another variety, such as penne, fusilli or bow tie pasta.
- Vegetables: If you like more (or less) of a particular veggie, feel free to adjust the quantity. You can also mix things up and substitute with other veggies, such as corn, cauliflower, roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes.
- Cheese: I used a marble cheddar cheese. If you like, you can substitute with something else, such as Havarti or Gouda.
- Protein: Feel like adding some extra oomph to your vegetable pasta salad? Mix in some cubed deli ham for an extra element of flavour and protein.
- Lighten things up: If you want to lighten up the dressing a bit, you can substitute some of the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt. Just keep in mind that you may want to add a little more salt to the dressing. Give it a taste; if you feel like it needs more salt, add it.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
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Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
B says
This was an excellent pasta salad. Recipe worked out great!!!
Dawn | Girl Heart Food says
Thank you very much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Michelle says
Light yet hearty, this pasta salad is perfect for summer picnics!
Dawn | Girl Heart Food says
I think so too! Thanks Michelle!
Shashi at Savory Spin says
Such a delicious and vibrant pasta salad, Dawn! I totally agree with you! I like a pasta salad in the summer too – even though I make pasta year-round!
Dawn | Girl Heart Food says
Thank you very much, Shashi!