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This is the absolute best ever Creamy Pasta Salad recipe made with cucumbers, bell peppers, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cheddar cheese, and a creamy ranch dressing!
This creamy pasta salad recipe comes together in just 20 minutes, without extra marinating time in the fridge. It’s incredibly simple to make, and it features the perfect combo of veggies. Everyone will ask you for the recipe when you bring it to your next potluck or picnic!
Featured Comment
Very good. Full of vegetables. Will make it again.
Why You’ll Love This Pasta Salad
- Smooth and creamy. Made with both mayonnaise and a homemade ranch dressing mix, this pasta salad is extra creamy and packed with tangy flavor.
- Perfect for spring or summer. Crunchy bell pepper, tart cherry tomatoes, zesty red onion, and more fresh veggies make this the ideal side salad for warm weather get-togethers.
- Great for any occasion. You can serve this creamy pasta salad alongside burgers, grilled chicken, corn on the cob, etc. It truly goes with everything!
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to round up before you get started. Check out the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts.
- Pasta – I like to use fusilli or rotini for this recipe, but any small pasta will do.
- Mayonnaise
- Milk – Whatever you have on hand is fine, I like to stick with 1 or 2%.
- Ranch dressing mix – This homemade recipe features a mix of seasonings that is really easy to assemble, but you can also just grab a packet from the store if you’re really in a time crunch.
- Veggies – My go-to choices are cucumber, broccoli florets, asparagus, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
- Cheddar cheese – I like to chop my cheese into small matchstick-sized slices, but you could also just grate it.
How to Make Creamy Pasta Salad
There’s just a few simple steps to follow. Scroll down to the recipe card below to see the full set of directions.
- Prep the pasta and veggies. Cook your pasta according to the box directions. Then, while you’re waiting for the pasta to boil, chop up your cucumber, broccoli, red onion, asparagus, bell pepper, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese.
- Make the dressing. Next, whisk together the ranch mix, mayo, and milk until all of the lumps are gone.
- Combine the pasta and veggies. Once the pasta is done, drain and let it cool for a couple minutes. Then, mix in the sliced cucumber, chopped broccoli, asparagus, bell pepper, halved tomatoes, and cheese.
- Add the dressing. Pour your dressing over the pasta salad, and stir gently until well combined. I recommend covering and refrigerating the salad for at least 1-2 hours before serving, but you can eat it right away if you like. Either way, right before serving, give your pasta salad a couple more stirs to mix in any of the dressing that has settled at the bottom.
Tips & Recipe Variations
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- Pasta substitutes. I like to use fusilli pasta in this recipe, but rotini, shells, and elbow macaroni will also work great.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. You want it al dente so it still has a little bite, otherwise the pasta salad will be soggy.
- Rinse the pasta. To stop your pasta from cooking after it’s removed from the heat, rinse and drain it in cold water then drizzle it with a touch of olive oil to keep it from sticking together. You can also do a quick coating with cooking spray instead of olive oil.
- Slice the onions thin. Make sure you slice your onions thin, you don’t want them to overpower the salad.
- Feel free to add or change any of the veggies! I love this combo, but you can adapt it to your liking. You could add peas, for example, or olives, etc. I bet chicken would be a nice addition to this as well for a main dish!
Serving Suggestions
- Chicken. Grilled, baked, and pan-seared chicken recipes all complement creamy pasta salad super well.
- Pork chops. Grilled pork chops are also a great choice, as are these honey garlic pork chops.
- Steak. Air fryer steak can be served with just about anything but, in the summer, this pasta salad is a fantastic option.
- Burgers and BBQ classics. Creamy pasta salad pairs perfectly with smoky burgers and hot dogs!
Proper Storage
- Fridge. This pasta salad will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Making the dressing in advance. You can make the dressing up to 24 hours in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, if you like. This will make the recipe come together very quickly if you are in a rush for a gathering.
More Salad Recipes
The BEST Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe
Creamy pasta salad is loaded with fresh veggies, tender pasta, and smooth ranch dressing! It's the best summer side dish.
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 1 16 ounce package fusilli or rotini pasta
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1 ounce package ranch dressing mix or homemade ranch dressing
- 1 cucumber quartered and thinly sliced
- 2 cups broccoli florets chopped
- 2 cups asparagus ends removed, and chopped
- 2 bell peppers chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup cheddar cheese sliced into matchsticks or grated
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package.
- While waiting for the pasta to boil, prepare your cucumber, broccoli, red onion, asparagus, bell pepper, tomatoes and cheddar cheese. Set aside.
- To make the dressing, whisk together ranch mix, mayo and milk. Mix until all lumps are gone.
- Once pasta is done, drain and let cool for a couple minutes. Once cooled, mix in the sliced cucumber, chopped broccoli, chopped asparagus, chopped bell pepper, halved tomatoes and cheese.
- Next pour dressing over the pasta salad, and stir gently until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours before serving.
- Right before serving, give your creamy ranch pasta salad a couple more stirs to mix in any of the dressing that had settled at the bottom.
- Serve and enjoy!
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
- To store. This pasta salad will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Making the dressing in advance. You can make the dressing up to 24 hours in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, if you like. This will make the recipe come together very quickly if you are in a rush for a gathering.
Nutrition
Serving: 10g | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 318mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1284IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg
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5 comments on “Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe”
Very good. Full of vegetables. Will make it again.
Looks delicious, I love pasta salad. But it says cucumbers are in it but it’s don’t see them listed on ingredients. But I do see asparagus and I don’t see them in the blog! Lol
I want to print this recipe and can’t find how to do it.
Hi Patricia! There is a Print button in the recipe box.
You can highlight it, copy and paste it to a new email and send it to yourself and print it from there.