{"id":5426,"date":"2026-03-03T14:36:05","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T14:36:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/recipes.hopemakers.online\/?p=186"},"modified":"2026-03-03T14:36:05","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T14:36:05","slug":"easy-creamy-pasta-salad-in-5-quick-steps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/?p=5426","title":{"rendered":"Easy Creamy Pasta Salad in 5 Quick Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">[adinserter block=&#8221;5&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looking for a side that\u2019s cool, creamy, and bursting with flavor? This pasta salad hits all the right notes. Soft pasta, crisp veggies, and a zesty dressing come together for a dish that\u2019s refreshing yet filling. Perfect for backyard BBQs, picnic baskets, or make-ahead lunches, it\u2019s always a crowd favorite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why You\u2019ll Love It<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ready in just 20 minutes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ideal for gatherings or meal prep<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Loaded with colorful, crunchy vegetables<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creamy, tangy dressing with a savory kick<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ingredients<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Salad<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2 cups elbow macaroni or rotini<br>1 cup diced celery<br>1 cup chopped bell peppers (red, yellow, or green)<br>\u00bd cup shredded carrots<br>\u00bd cup diced red onion<br>1 cup thawed frozen peas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">[adinserter block=&#8221;6&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Dressing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1 cup mayonnaise<br>2 tbsp sour cream<br>2 tbsp Dijon mustard<br>2 tbsp apple cider vinegar<br>1 tsp sugar<br>Salt &amp; black pepper, to taste<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Instructions<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. Cook the Pasta<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Boil pasta in salted water until al dente.<br>Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Prep the Veggies<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dice celery, peppers, carrots, and onion into small, even pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. Make the Dressing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth.<br>Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4. Combine Everything<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a large bowl, mix pasta, vegetables, and peas.<br>Pour dressing over and toss gently to coat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>5. Chill &amp; Serve<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to let the flavors meld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pro Tips<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rinse pasta immediately after cooking to keep it from sticking.<br>Chilling is essential for the best flavor and texture.<br>Add extras like diced ham, shredded cheese, boiled eggs, or bacon bits for variety.<br>To lighten it up, swap half the mayo for Greek yogurt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> [adinserter block=&#8221;7&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[adinserter block=&#8221;5&#8243;] Looking for a side that\u2019s cool, creamy, and bursting with flavor? This pasta salad hits all the right&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":187,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5426\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}