Made with rotini pasta, fresh veggies and a semi-homemade Caesar Salad dressing, this recipe for Creamy Pasta Salad is perfect on its own for a light dinner.
It also makes a great side dish for the standard grilling recipes that are perfect for summer. Let me show you how to make this recipe that my family has been serving for years.
This creamy pasta salad is a family recipe that my sister created many years ago. My mother has made it for years for her senior's group at church. When we're hosting large family gatherings, this recipe is always included on our buffet table.
My sister's original recipe calls for a bottle of Caesar Salad Dressing plus one cup of mayonnaise. I have also used a bottle of Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing and while it tastes okay, I prefer to stick to the original idea of making a semi-homemade dressing for this salad.
Table of Contents
Best Bottled Dressing for Pasta Salad
For this recipe, I used Ken's Caesar Salad Dressing. The traditional kind, not a creamy dressing. I like to mix mayonnaise together with the bottle of dressing.
By combining the two, you get a different taste than just purchasing traditional creamy Caesar salad dressing.
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Main Ingredients Needed
This is an overview of the ingredients and instructions. Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact quantities, detailed instructions and special notes.
- Rotini pasta
- Green olives; drained
- Black pitted olives; drained
- Grape tomatoes
- Broccoli florets
- Cucumber; diced
- Red onion; sliced thin
- 4 ounces cheese; mozzarella or cheddar
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 jar Caesar Salad Dressing
- Mayonnaise
Cooking Tip: Add the broccoli florets to the pasta water about one minute before the noodles are done cooking. That will help soften up the broccoli just enough for the salad.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1: Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to boil on the top of your stove.
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.
- Add the broccoli florets to the boiling water about one minute before the pasta is finished cooking.
- Drain everything together and rinse in cold water.
- Then add to a large bowl while you prep the vegetables.
Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables
- Chop all the vegetables into small pieces.
- Cut up the cheese into small chunks.
- If the grape tomatoes are large, you might want to cut them in half.
Step 3: Combine Cooked Pasta with Vegetables
- Add the chopped vegetables, cheese and grape tomatoes on top of the cooked pasta.
- Stir to combine.
- Set aside while you prepare the salad dressing.
Step 4: Prepare Salad Dressing
- In a small bowl, add the bottle of salad dressing along with the one cup of mayonnaise. Using a whisk, combine until smooth.
- Pour the salad dressing over the pasta and vegetables.
- Stir well to coat the pasta and the vegetables.
- Cover and refrigerate at least an hour.
- Sprinkle the basil, parsley and Parmesan cheese on top right before serving.
Creamy Pasta Salad Ideas
Here are a few ideas to make this recipe your own:
- Feel free to change the type of pasta you use for this recipe. You could use bow tie pasta shapes, which are always a big hit with the kids. Or even tri-color pasta is a nice idea.
- Go to your local specialty grocery store and visit the olive bar or even salad bar. Try different combinations of marinated vegetables to add to the salad.
- Add chopped pepperoni or even hard salami to the salad.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED RECIPE QUESTION
The only time you should rinse pasta is when you are using it for a cold dish like a pasta salad.
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Creamy Pasta Salad
Best ever creamy pasta salad that you can customize to include your family's favorites. Perfect for summer barbecues or as a side dish all year long!
Ingredients
- 1 - 16 ounce size box of Farfalle pasta; cooked and drained.
- 1 - 6 ounce size jar green olives; drained
- 1 - 6 ounce size can black pitted olives; drained
- 1 - 4 ounce size jar pimentos; drained
- 1 - 16 ounce size can of chick peas; drained
- 1 cucumber; diced
- 4 ounces mozzarella or cheddar cheese; cubed
- ½ red onion sliced thin
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1 cup small broccoli florets
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
For the Dressing
- 1 - 16 ounce size jar Caesar Salad Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil on the top of your stove.
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.
- Add the broccoli florets to the boiling water about one minute before the pasta is finished cooking.
- Drain everything together and rinse in cold water.
- Then add to a large bowl while you prep the vegetables.
- Chop all the vegetables into small pieces.
- Cut up the cheese into small chunks.
- If the grape tomatoes are large, you might want to cut them in half.Add the chopped vegetables, cheese and grape tomatoes on top of the cooked pasta.
- Stir to combine.
- Set aside while you prepare the salad dressing.
- In a small bowl, add the bottle of salad dressing along with the one cup of mayonnaise. Using a whisk, combine until smooth.
- Pour the salad dressing over the pasta and vegetables.
- Stir well to coat the pasta and the vegetables.
- Cover and refrigerate at least an hour.
- Sprinkle the basil, parsley and Parmesan cheese on top right before serving.
Notes
This salad is best served after it's had time to chill in the refrigerator for about one to two hours.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 591Total Fat: 48gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 35gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 1115mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 13g
The nutrition information is calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you, please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator.
This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2015 with new photos, information and a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!
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