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Creamy Pasta Salad

Creamy pasta salad with rotini, crisp vegetables, and a tangy mayonnaise-sour cream dressing. Chill it for 2 hours so the flavors meld for a classic potluck-ready side dish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

rotini or bow-tie pasta
  • 1 lb rotini or bow-tie pasta
creamy dressing base
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
fresh vegetables
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 0.5 cup celery, diced
  • 0.5 cup shredded carrots
seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the rotini or bow-tie pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain. Rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool completely.
Make the creamy dressing
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Keep whisking until the dressing looks glossy and evenly combined.
Toss with vegetables
  1. Add the cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, celery, and shredded carrots to the dressing. Toss thoroughly until every pasta piece is coated and vegetables are evenly distributed.
Chill for best flavor
  1. Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld. You should see the dressing thicken slightly as it chills.
Finish and serve
  1. Toss the pasta salad again before serving and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve chilled for maximum crunch from the vegetables.

Notes

For clean, non-mushy texture, cool the pasta well before mixing—warm pasta can make the dressing loosen. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; the salad does not freeze well due to the creamy dressing breaking. To make it tangier, add an extra 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or a pinch more Dijon. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise and light sour cream for a lower-fat swap.