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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Pasta Salad Recipe (Easy, 20 Minutes)

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This creamy garlic parmesan pasta salad is ready in 20 minutes and uses pantry-friendly ingredients. It’s perfect for summer barbecues, weeknight dinners, and meal prep, with a rich, silky dressing that even picky eaters love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 16 oz rotini pasta
  • 1 cup mayonnaise (full-fat)
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 large cucumber, diced (English cucumber preferred)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • ½ cup red onion, finely diced
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add rotini and cook 1 minute past al dente (about 9-10 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water until cool. Shake off excess water and toss with a teaspoon of olive oil to prevent sticking.
  2. Prepare the vegetables: While pasta cooks, halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, dice bell pepper, and finely dice red onion. Soak diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes to remove sharpness.
  3. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, parmesan, minced garlic, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
  4. Combine: Drain red onion and pat dry. In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and parsley. Pour dressing over top and fold gently with a rubber spatula until evenly coated.
  5. Rest and serve: Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving. If refrigerating, let sit out for 15 minutes before serving to take off the chill.

Notes

Salt pasta water aggressively. Rinse pasta with cold water until completely cool to prevent thinning dressing. Let dressing sit before mixing for better flavor. Don’t skip lemon juice—it balances richness. Fold ingredients gently to avoid crushing pasta or vegetables. Leftovers keep in fridge for up to 4 days; revive with a splash of milk or extra mayo. Not recommended for freezing.

Nutrition

Keywords: creamy garlic parmesan pasta salad, easy pasta salad, 20 minute pasta salad, summer pasta salad, potluck pasta salad

Find it online: https://dinadinnertable.com/creamy-garlic-parmesan-pasta-salad-recipe-easy-20-minutes/