Description
A light and refreshing pasta salad with creamy lemon dressing, perfect for summer BBQs and potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz pasta (preferably rotini or fusilli)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 lemons (juice and zest)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley or basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by boiling a large pot of salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. When finished, drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- While the pasta is cooling, prepare your veggies. Dice the cucumbers, halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the red bell pepper and onion, and shred the carrots.
- In a large bowl, combine your cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, shredded carrots, red onion, and thawed peas. Toss everything together.
- Now, it’s time to make the creamy dressing. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad mixture and toss gently until everything is coated evenly.
- Cover the salad with plastic wrap or an airtight lid and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
For a healthier option, use whole wheat pasta or a lighter mayonnaise. Great for meal prep as flavors deepen over time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Chilling
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 15mg