Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad
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Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad is a fresh spin on pasta salad and one of our all-time summer favorites! It’s light yet satisfying, simple to make, and just as welcome at a backyard barbecue as it is for an easy lunch. Make it ahead, keep it chilled, and you’ve got a side dish that’s ready to steal the show!
“Great recipe! Very easy to put together. … Will definitely go in our recipe rotation for this spring and summer.”
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
This creamy pasta salad is one of our summertime favorites, and we make it several times every summer. My husband found this recipe on the Internet long, long ago, when the Internet was in its infancy. We recently took it to a potluck, and we took an empty bowl home!
This cucumber and pasta salad recipe is:
- Easy! This salad recipe comes together easily. Cook the pasta and whip up the dressing in a food processor or blender. Add thawed frozen peas, and you’re done!
- Make Ahead! You can cook the pasta and mix up the dressing a day ahead of time. Combine everything when you’re ready to serve.
- Versatile! This cucumber and pasta salad is delicious at room temperature or cold. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs, and you’ve got a lovely pasta salad perfect for any gathering this summer and beyond!
How to Make CREAMY CUCUMBER PASTA SALAD recipe:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this creamy pasta salad recipe. The exact quantities are on the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Pasta: Use any short regular, whole-grain, or gluten-free curly or tube pasta such as rotini, penne, fusilli, cavatappi, large elbow macaroni, or farfalle. I like rotini because it holds onto the tiny bits of cucumber in the dressing.
- Mayonnaise: Use your favorite brand, regular or reduced-fat. We like Duke’s or Hellmann’s.
- Sour Cream: Use your favorite brand, regular or reduced-fat. Thick Greek yogurt makes a great substitute.
- White Vinegar: Use just plain white vinegar. Unseasoned rice vinegar can also be used.
- Cucumber: English or Persian cucumbers work the best as they’re less watery and seedy.
- Fresh Dill: We’ve used dried dill in a pinch, but nothing beats the flavor of fresh dill!
- Peas: You’ll need a bag of frozen peas. Thaw under cool running tap water, drain and you’re good to go!
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Cook pasta in salted water per package directions. Drain and rinse to cool. Drain again.
- While the pasta is cooking, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, honey, cucumber, scallions, dill and salt and black pepper to taste in a food processor or blender.
- Process until smooth or almost smooth (a little chunky is fine.)
- Toss drained pasta with the dressing…
- … Add peas.
- Stir together … Garnish with fresh dill sprigs, and serve. Serve warm or chilled.
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- If serving at room temperature, cook the pasta only to the al dente stage (Italian for to the tooth). The pasta should resist a little bit but not be crunchy. It’s okay to cook slightly beyond the al dente stage if serving later because pasta firms up after it cools.
- The creamy dressing recipe makes plenty. Because pasta tends to absorb dressings, you can keep some on the side to add later. We like it saucy so it’s enough for us.
- If you have leftover dressing, serve it over baked or poached salmon.
Recipe FAQs:
The cucumbers are part of the dressing. However, if you prefer, you can whisk together the dressing ingredients and add thinly sliced cucumbers, scallions, and peas to the pasta for a more chunky, textural pasta salad.
I recommend peeling the cucumbers so they blend into the creamy dressing better.
You can make this dressing 1 day ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate. The pasta can be cooked 1 day ahead of time. Toss with a little oil and refrigerate. Combine the pasta, dressing and the peas when ready to serve.
VARIATION:
- Add tuna or shrimp to make this cucumber dill pasta salad a meal!
Serve this creamy pasta salad with:
- BBQ Chicken Sliders
- Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe
- Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Salsa
More great pasta salad recipes you’ll love!
Get all my side salad recipes at Side Salad Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini, fusilli, penne or other short pasta
- Salt, plus more for dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 medium English cucumbers, (2 pounds) peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped (4 cups)
- 1 bunch large scallions, white and light green part only, coarsely chopped (scant 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 bag (12-ounce) frozen peas, thawed under cold tap water
- Fresh dill sprigs, for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water per package directions. Drain and rinse to cool. Drain again.
- While pasta is cooking, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, honey, cucumber, scallions, dill and salt and black pepper to taste in a food processor or blender.
- Process until smooth or almost smooth (a little chunky is fine.)
- Toss drained pasta with the dressing, add peas, garnish with fresh dill sprigs, and serve. Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
- Thick Greek yogurt makes a great substitute for sour cream.
- Dressing can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. Refrigerate until needed.
- Pasta can be cooked 1 day ahead of time. Toss with a bit of oil and refrigerate.
- To serve at room temperature, cook pasta to al dente (tender with a slight bite.) If making ahead, cook a little past the al dente stage since pasta firms up as it cools.
- The dressing makes plenty. Pasta absorbs dressing, so reserve some to refresh later. We prefer it saucy, but adjust to taste.
- Extra dressing? It’s excellent over baked or poached salmon.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Great recipe! I took advice from one of the comments, added more fresh dill (we always love extra dill!) and less honey. I also added a splash more vinegar. Turned out amazing! A definite keeper!!!
Hi, Jan, Thanks so very much and so happy you love this recipe! It’s one of our favorites so always happy when someone else enjoys it as much. Appreciate you taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
Great recipe! Very easy to put together. Only changes I will make next time are to start with less honey and add a bit more dill. Overall this is a really great recipe. Will definitely go in our recipe rotation for this spring and summer.
Hi, Jane, Thanks so very much and so happy you love this recipe as much as we do! Yes, definitely do it to your taste. Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment.
I love how the dressing gets in all the nooks and crannies of the noodles. Delicious!
Thanks so much, Erin! That’s one of the things we love, too!