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Creamy Pasta Salad

Creamy pasta salad with tri-color rotini coated in a rich, creamy dressing and loaded with diced red and green peppers, black olives, green peas, and sharp cheddar. This classic creamy pasta salad is cooked al dente, cooled completely, then chilled for a cool, picnic-ready texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad base
  • 1 lb rotini or bow tie pasta
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 0.5 red onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 cup black olives, sliced
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar, cubed
  • 1 Fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook rotini or bow tie pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and cool completely to prevent the salad from getting mushy.
Make the creamy dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper together until smooth. The dressing should look thick and glossy so it clings to the pasta.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine cooled pasta with red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion, frozen peas, black olives, and sharp cheddar cubes. Toss gently so the vegetables and cheese are evenly distributed.
Coat and chill
  1. Pour dressing over the pasta salad and toss to coat everything completely. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl so no dry pasta remains.
Serve
  1. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving, then toss again and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh parsley right before serving for the best color and freshness.

Notes

For the best texture, cool the pasta completely before mixing so the dressing stays creamy instead of watery. Refrigerate leftovers covered for 3–4 days; freezer not recommended because mayonnaise-based salads can separate. Dietary swap: use a plant-based mayonnaise and dairy-free sour cream for a dairy-free version while keeping the same flavor profile.