Julie Clark
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Bowtie Pasta Salad
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Bright and colorful bowtie pasta salad with a cool, creamy herbed dressing. Load up this summer salad with your favorite garden veggies!
Summers picnics always call for pasta salads, and this Bowtie Pasta Salad was a hit at our family dinner last week. I shared a sneak peek on Instagram and had so many of you asking for the recipe. I don’t blame you. It’s delicious!
I had leftover farfalle pasta from making our bowtie pasta back in June. I didn’t want any typical Italian pasta salad, so added a few different ingredients like broccoli, salami and fresh dill. This bowtie pasta salad recipe has a creamy dressing, just like our BLT Pasta Salad.
Ingredients Needed
- Bowtie pasta. Since this is called bow tie pasta salad, that’s naturally what shape of pasta we used! This will work with any shape pasta you have in your pantry, such as rotini or penne.
- Colby jack cheese and salami. For some reason I’m a sucker for pasta salad recipes with salami that I often find at potlucks. It gives just a slightly different flavor profile than pepperoni pasta salad. Cut both the cheese and the salami into small bite-size pieces.
- Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. Or really any type of tomato, as long as it is cut in bite-size pieces.
- Cucumber and broccoli. Add green vegetables for color and flavor. This is the perfect summer salad for garden veggies!
- Red Onions. Red onions are great for pasta salads because they add so much flavor. If you don’t like such a strong onion taste, use Vidalia onions.
- Mayo and sour cream. The base of the herbed mayo dressing.
- Fresh dill. Fresh herbs add so much to flavor to pasta salads, just like in our orzo pasta salad.
- Lemon juice, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper. For flavor!
How to Make Bowtie Pasta Salad
This creamy bowtie pasta salad recipe can be made in 4 steps:
- Make the bowtie pasta salad dressing. In a medium bowl, mix together the ingredients for the dressing, then cover and set aside in the fridge until you’re ready to mix it in the salad.
- Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta according to package directions, cooking until just pasta salad is just past al dente. It should still be slightly firm, but not too soft. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to cool the pasta.
- Cut the veggies, meats and cheeses. Prepare the ingredients for the salad and place them in a large bowl.
- Mix the salad. Add the cooled pasta to the other ingredients, then pour the dressing over the top. Mix to combine so that all ingredients are coated with the dressing.
Other Additions
Get creative with what you add to this easy bowtie pasta salad. Try red bell peppers, black olives, or peas. Exchange Colby Jack for cheddar cheese, feta cheese or fresh mozzarella cheese. And garnish with fresh parsley, fresh basil, or green onions.
Add rotisserie chicken for extra protein.
Make it a meal.
Looking for what to serve alongside this bow tie pasta salad? Try one of these:
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Bowtie Pasta Salad
Bright and colorful bowtie pasta salad with a cool, creamy herbed dressing. Load up this summer salad with your favorite garden veggies!
Servings 12
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
For the salad:
- 12 ounces bowtie pasta farfalle
- 1 cup cubed colby jack cheese
- 1 cup cubed salami
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 2 cups grape tomatoes halved
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup broccoli florets
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the ingredients for the dressing, then cover and set aside in the fridge until you're ready to mix it in the salad. 1 cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon fresh dill, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Boil the pasta according to package directions, cooking until just pasta salad is just past al dente. It should still be slightly firm, but not too soft. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to cool the pasta. 12 ounces bowtie pasta
- Prepare the ingredients for the salad and place them in a large bowl. 1 cup cubed colby jack cheese, 1 cup cubed salami, ½ cup diced red onion, 2 cups grape tomatoes, 1 cup diced cucumber, 1 cup broccoli florets
- Add the cooled pasta to the other ingredients, then pour the dressing over the top. Mix to combine so that all ingredients are coated with the dressing.
- Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Notes
- This pasta salad is best served the day it is made, but leftovers are great too! Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container and use within 3 days.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks. The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 12, with 1 serving being 1/12 of the salad. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 345kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 504mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 447IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 1mg
