Description
Creamy Pasta Salad is a delightful and refreshing dish that brings together colorful vegetables and a rich, creamy dressing. Perfect for any occasion—from backyard BBQs to potlucks—this pasta salad is easy to prepare and sure to impress your guests. With its satisfying crunch from fresh veggies like cucumbers and bell peppers, combined with the zing of Cajun seasoning, this salad transforms ordinary pasta into an extraordinary side dish. Best of all, it can be made ahead, allowing the flavors to blend beautifully while you focus on other meal preparations. Whether served alone or alongside grilled meats, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12–16 ounces garden rotini pasta (cooked)
- ½ medium red onion (minced)
- 1 cucumber (diced)
- ½ pint grape tomatoes (halved)
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper (diced)
- 3 tablespoons Italian vinaigrette dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 + 1/4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon white sugar
Instructions
- Cook the garden rotini pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, Italian dressing, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, and sugar. Mix until smooth.
- Add in the minced red onion, diced cucumber, halved grape tomatoes, and diced yellow bell pepper. Stir until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
- Serve chilled as a refreshing side dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1 cup (240g)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 560mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 15mg