This is the Best Creamy Pasta Salad for a BBQ. It is one of our favorite summer recipes. It’s a great pasta salad to serve at bbq’s, picnics, and pool parties.
I am so happy summer is finally almost here.
Because with summer comes all the fun of BBQ’s, picnics, potlucks, pool parties and more.
And food… lots of great food.
I love summery foods from fresh fruits and vegetables, to tropical desserts and more.
But what I especially love, is BBQ food.
And this week it’s all about both.
It falls smack dab in the middle of burger month, which seems perfect since it all seems to go together.
Welcome to BBQ Week 2019!
I’m bringing the best Creamy Pasta Salad for a BBQ today!
What makes this the Best Creamy Pasta Salad for a BBQ?
There are a few ways this pasta salad is perfect for a BBQ.
- It’s loaded with all sorts of tasty, delicious ingredients to tantalize your taste buds.
- Flavor bursting in every single bite.
- It’s a pretty inexpensive salad to make, and it’s incredibly easy to double, triple or even quadruple to feed quite the crowd.
I love recipes that can feed a crowd, and this is the best creamy pasta salad to feed a crowd! Hands down!
Oh, and this makes a pretty terrific lunch too.
So if you are looking for something light and summery, grab a bowl of incredible pasta salad.
It’s a favorite summertime lunch for me on a hot day.
Cold pasta salad, yes please.
It’s BBQ Week all up in here!
This week we are sharing dozens of delicious BBQ recipes.
From burgers, to side dishes, dessert and drinks.
There’s something that is sure to call your name and be the perfect recipe for your next picnic or BBQ.
So be sure and scroll down to check out those recipes!
What to serve with Creamy Pasta Salad for a BBQ?
- Easy Summer Berry Salad Recipe
- Grilled Corn with Garlic Herb Butter
- Garlic Overload Burgers with Creamy Garlic Burger Sauce
- Bacon Ranch Potatoes on the Grill
More BBQ recipes:
- BBQ Beef Spring Rolls
- Ceviche Shrimp Cups
- Cuban Sandwich Burger
- Grilled Brussels Sprouts
- Grilled Mac and Cheese Burgers
- Grilled Pineapple Mai Tai
- Grilled Porterhouse Steaks with Garlic Herb Compound Butter
- Grilled Veggie Pasta
- Instant Pot Baked Beans
- Orzo Pasta Salad with Feta and Tequila Dressing
- Sosaties (South African Lamb and Apricot Kebabs)
- Strawberry Broccoli Salad
- Warm Roasted Carrot & Pea Chipotle Salad
Recipe for the Best Creamy Pasta Salad
The Best Creamy Pasta Salad
This is the Best Creamy Pasta Salad for a BBQ. It is one of our favorite summer recipes. It’s a great pasta salad to serve at bbq’s, picnics, and pool parties.
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
- 1 (16 ounce) box Ditalini pasta
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup sliced black olives, drained
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
FOR THE SALAD
- In a large pot, boil water and add pasta. Cook under very tender. About 12 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water until pasta is no longer hot. This also helps rinse away extra starches keeping your pasta from sticking together. Place pasta in a large serving bowl.
- Add all salad ingredients and vegetables to the pasta. Set aside.
FOR THE DRESSING
- In a medium bowl, whisk the mayo, sour cream and milk together until smooth. Add the garlic powder, Dijon mustard, sriracha and Worcestershire sauce and whisk until well blended.
- Add the dressing to the bowl of pasta and stir gently until well coated.
- Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Cover and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Making this ahead of time and chilling overnight is perfectly fine. If you need to make the sauce creamy again, just add a couple of tablespoons of milk and mix well.
Skyler Thomas
Tuesday 18th of January 2022
My wife and I have made this once and are making it again here in a couple days. This is a wonderful blend of ingredients and goes with pretty much anything, any time of year. We used a medium salsa instead off Sirracha.
Cheese Curd In Paradise
Friday 24th of May 2019
I am loving the olives, bacon, and fresh chives in this pasta salad! Yum!
Christie
Thursday 23rd of May 2019
Pasta salad is one of the most versatile dishes to bring to a barbecue! Mayo, no mayo, egg, no egg, roasted veg; so many choices. This one looks like the BEST one! So creamy good.
Terri Steffes
Tuesday 21st of May 2019
I love that you can make a large batch and it is very inexpensive. Sometimes making an expensive dish is just out of the question. Love it.
Jaida ~ Sweet Beginnings
Monday 20th of May 2019
I love the addition of sriracha to give a little kick to the creamy dressing!