This incredibly simple Spicy Creamy Pasta Salad is bursting with the flavors of fresh ingredients, making it the perfect dish to enjoy during the summer months. With minimal prep work, you can have this delicious meal ready in just minutes.
The pasta is cooked to perfection and then combined with a medley of cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, and pepperoncini. To add a creamy and tangy kick, the salad is tossed in a spicy sauce that will leave your taste buds craving more. This pasta salad is sure to become a go-to dish for any cookout or gathering.
While this pasta salad recipe calls for pre-made Italian dressing, you have the option to create your own dressing if desired. I incorporated my very own chili oil to add a spicy, garlic, and shallot crunch. This allows you to customize the flavors to your liking and add a personal touch to the dish.
One of the reasons we love a good pasta salad is its versatility. You can use any type of pasta you have on hand, eliminating the need to purchase a specific brand or shape. I have even used a combination of two different pasta shapes in this recipe, and it turned out wonderfully. For the best results, I recommend using a smaller pasta with ridges to help the sauce adhere to the noodles.
What makes this Creamy Pasta Salad Great?
What sets this pasta salad apart from others is the unique sauce. It combines the creaminess of mayo, tanginess of Italian dressing and pepperoncini juice, sweetness of honey, and a delightful kick from chili oil and Dijon mustard. This combination of flavors creates the ultimate dressing for this pasta salad, elevating it to a whole new level.
A Pasta Salad that Everyone Will Love
For optimal taste, I suggest allowing the pasta salad to chill in the fridge overnight. This allows the flavors to meld together and intensify, resulting in a truly delicious dish. Simply prep all the ingredients, make the sauce, toss everything together, and let it sit in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. A few good mixes before serving, and you’re good to go!
This pasta salad is also a fantastic way to use up any leftover vegetables in your fridge, making it incredibly versatile and convenient. We all have those random bits of vegetables that we don’t know what to do with, like a quarter of an onion, half a bell pepper, or a lone carrot. Well, now you have the perfect solution. Give this recipe a try and transform those leftovers into a mouthwatering pasta salad that everyone will love.
Spicy Creamy Pasta Salad
- Total Time: 35 minute
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
The pasta is cooked to perfection and then combined with a medley of cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, and pepperoncini. To add a creamy and tangy kick, the salad is tossed in a spicy sauce that will leave your taste buds craving more. This pasta salad is sure to become a go-to dish for any cookout or gathering.
Ingredients
- 16 oz of pasta (I used Barilla shaped ROTINI)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup pepperoncinis
- 1 cup mixed bell peppers
- 1/2 large red onions
- 50 oz of protein (I used pepperoni)
- 8 sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 large English cucumber
- 1 1/2 cup choice of cheese (I used sharp cheddar and pepper jack)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing (I used Olive Garden)
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp pepperoncini juice
- 1/2 of a lime
- 1–2 tbsp Twenty2chilioil
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Instructions:
- Cook choice of pasta till al dente in salted water. Drain pasta, let it cool down by fluffing the pasta.
- Mix together mayo, Italian dressing, dijon mustard, honey, pepperoncini juice, squeeze of a lime, chili oil, and salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Prep the vegetables, chopping it into bite sized pieces, slice sun-dried tomatoes into small piece, and roughly chop pepperonis.
- In a large bowl, add cooled pasta, vegetables, and pour over the dressing. Give everything a good mix. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight for best results.
Notes
Tools I Used
- Lime juicer
- Fullstar Vegetable Chopper
- Measuring Cup
- Large chef serving basting spoon
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 7-10 min
- Category: pasta salad, side
- Method: stove
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: spicy, pasta salad, summertime, lunch
2 Responses
I can’t wait to try this recipe!
★★★★★
Yes! You will be sure to love it!