Description
This Creamy Pasta Salad is a rich, flavorful side dish loaded with tender pasta, crispy bacon, sweet peas, and parmesan cheese, all tossed in a smooth and tangy creamy dressing. Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or easy family dinners, this crowd-pleasing recipe comes together quickly and tastes even better after chilling.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 12 oz small pasta noodles
- 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
- 12 oz thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
For the Creamy Dressing:
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- While pasta cooks, thaw peas, cook and chop bacon, and grate parmesan cheese.
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pasta, peas, bacon, and parmesan cheese.
- Pour dressing over the mixture and stir until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1–2 hours before serving for best flavor, or serve immediately.
Notes
Chilling enhances flavor—don’t skip it if possible.
Add bacon just before serving to keep it crispy.
Customize with diced veggies like celery, peppers, or onions for extra crunch.
Swap vinegar with lemon juice for a brighter taste.
Can be turned into a full meal by adding shredded chicken.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiling, Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 379 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 537 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 28 mg