Description
Easy Sunshine Pasta Salad is a vibrant and creamy pasta salad featuring rotini or bowtie pasta tossed with fresh cherry tomatoes, colorful bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, and parsley, all coated in a tangy and slightly sweet homemade dressing. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a light summer meal, this salad is quick to prepare, customizable, and delicious when chilled to meld the flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 12 ounces rotini or bowtie pasta, cooked and drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup diced yellow bell pepper
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine the salad ingredients: In a large bowl, add the cooked and drained pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced yellow and red bell peppers, diced cucumber, finely diced red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, and chopped fresh parsley. Stir gently to mix all the colorful ingredients evenly.
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until the mixture is smooth and well combined, ensuring a creamy and tangy dressing.
- Toss the salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly so all the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing, ensuring balanced flavor in every bite.
- Chill and meld flavors: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour. This step allows the flavors to meld together beautifully and chills the salad for a refreshing taste.
- Serve: Before serving, gently stir the salad to redistribute any dressing that may have settled. Serve chilled as a side dish or a light main course, perfect for warm weather.
Notes
- You can add cooked chicken, bacon, or hard-boiled eggs for extra protein.
- For a lighter version, substitute Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise and sour cream.
- Pasta salad can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator to enhance flavor.
