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Marble surface with large white bowl filled with creamy pasta salad with red bell pepper and hamburger buns to the side.
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Creamy Pasta Salad

When the summer season rolls around, it’s time for grilling, which means it’s time for a delicious pasta salad. This sweet, tangy, and totally creamy pasta salad is going to be a favorite for you this year, much like it has been for my family for years. It’s super easy to assemble and best when served cold on a hot summer day!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Difficulty Easy
Method Mixing
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 320kcal
Author Kaleb

Ingredients

  • 1 lb spiral dried pasta
  • 1 cup shredded carrot
  • 1 medium red bell pepper diced
  • ½ medium red onion diced
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
  • 1 clove garlic minced

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, 8-12 minutes. Once the pasta has cooked, drain and rinse it with cool water to stop the cooking. Set the pasta aside to drain.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar, garlic, tarragon, and dill. Whisk to combine until it is smooth. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
  • In a large bowl, combine the drained pasta, shredded carrot, diced bell pepper, red onion, and dressing. Stir together and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

Notes

  • While most recipes indicate to cook the pasta to al dente, the pasta in this recipe should be fully cooked. Since there will be no additional cooking time, there is no chance for the pasta to cook even further. Once it is done cooking, the pasta is rinsed in cold water to ensure it stops cooking, which will prevent it from becoming too soft.
  • While fresh dill and fresh tarragon are the herbs that are listed in this recipe, they are not the only herbs that can be used. If there is a specific herb that you love, use it in place of dill or tarragon. It’s truly a customizable dressing. If you want a herb that has a less pungent flavor but still provides some green color, use parsley.
  • When preparing the dressing, always make sure to taste it before adding it to the pasta. That way, you can assess the flavors and adjust as needed.
  • When mixing together the pasta salad, add about ⅔ of the dressing and mix everything together. Then add the remaining ⅓ of the dressing as a final finish. This process allows for some discernment in the amount of dressing that you want on the salad, in case you like it on the lighter side.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 320kcal