One of my absolute guilty pleasures is the creamy pasta salad you buy in the supermarkets. I especially love it around Christmas time, as it goes so well with leftover ham and turkey. So imagine how excited I was to discover this copycat version. Filled with creamy pasta and crunchy vegetables it’s now a staple when entertaining all year around.
How to make an easy pasta salad recipe: key tips
Cook the pasta until it’s al dente and then immediately drain and run under cold water – you don’t want any residual heat to soften the vegetables. Use the coarse side of a box grater for the carrot and cheese - way easier than getting out the food processor!
Key ingredients in our favourite pasta salad recipe
We use penne pasta for our creamy salad recipe, but any short pasta like rigatoni, orecchiette and fusilli will do. Coleslaw dressing is a great shortcut ingredient as it contains vinegar and mustard flour for seasoning. Mixing it with sour cream tames it slightly and makes it extra creamy.
Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams - Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Ingredients
- 250 g pasta uncooked
- 1 carrot grated medium
- 1 celery stick chopped
- 1 spring onion finely chopped green parts only
- 1/2 red capsicum diced
- 2/3 cup tasty cheese grated
- 1/3 cup parsley finely chopped
- 300 ml Praise coleslaw dressing
- 3 tbs sour cream heaped
Method
-
Step 1Cook pasta in boiling, salted water, then drain and chill.
-
Step 2In a small bowl, combine the coleslaw dressing and sour cream.
-
Step 3Combine pasta, vegetables, cheese and coleslaw dressing mixture.
-
Step 4Season. Chill before serving.
Equipment
- 1 bowl
Recipe Notes
What can you serve with this pasta salad?
This pasta salad, along with a simple green one, is a must at any of my barbecues. I love to serve it with chicken wings, lamb chops and some prawn skewers.
Recipe Reviews (77)
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Log in Register