Cream Cheese Pasta Salad Recipe
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Jump to RecipeThis cream cheese pasta salad recipe is creamy, simple to make, and loaded with vegetables and pasta tossed in a flavorful dressing.
Loaded with veggies and easy to make ahead – this is one crowd pleaser pasta salad that everyone will love. It’s a great high protein vegetarian side dish, too!
I love pasta salads that are creamy, crunchy, and great for a quick side dish or lunch any time of year. This pasta salad with cream cheese has a deliciously tangy dressing, made without mayonnaise!
It’s versatile enough that you can add your favorite chopped veggies in. This pasta salad is a delicious and quick meal prep lunch idea, or great to bring to a gathering for entertaining.
This Cream Cheese Pasta Salad Recipe Is
- Crunchy
- Tangy
- Vibrant
- Loaded with Flavor
- Colorful
- Vegetarian
A Great Make-Ahead Pasta Salad for Entertaining
This cream cheese pasta salad recipe is fantastic to make ahead of time for a party, potluck, or gathering. Making this recipe in advance allows you to skip any cooking or prep on the day-of. This is a great recipe to entertain with, or bring to an event.
A crowd-pleaser recipe that pasta lovers will want to dig in to! I got the idea for this recipe after making a pasta salad with cottage cheese… and realizing that there is another type of cheese that would also be great to add. Adding cream cheese to the dressing is a great way to get delicious and creamy flavor without adding mayonnaise.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
- Pasta – I used classic spiral rotini for this recipe, but you can use any medium pasta shape you prefer.
- Cucumber
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Carrots
- Lemon Juice
- Italian Dressing: There are times when I love making my own salad dressings… and then there are times I skip the hassle and use bottled Italian Dressing instead! It has all of the flavor of making your own, and is a huge time saver.
- Oregano: a spice I always put in my pasta salads! This dried oregano has a bright and earthy flavor, and goes so well with the fresh crunchy vegetables.
- Salt & Pepper
- Cream Cheese – I prefer to use plain original full-fat cream cheese for the dressing. But you could always mix it up, and use a veggie cream cheese, garlic and chive, or even onion!
How To Make This Recipe
- Set cream cheese out on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature. This will make it easier to mix the cream cheese into the dressing.
- Boil a large pot of salted water, and cook pasta according to package. Drain and rinse noodles under cold water to stop them cooking. Set aside.
- Dice the cucumber and tomatoes, slice the peppers into fine bite-sized ribbons, chop the carrots and olives, and add all veggies to a bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the Italian dressing, lemon juice, oregano, and cream cheese. Mix well until cream cheese has blended into the dressing, and all ingredients are well combined.
- Pour cream cheese dressing over the pasta salad. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is vegetarian.
- To make this gluten free, ensure you use a certified gluten free pasta and dressing. Always check labels to be certified gluten free before using.
More Creamy Pasta Recipes
- Goat Cheese Pesto Pasta Recipe
- Cottage Cheese Alfredo Pasta Sauce
- Low Sodium Cajun Pasta
- Caprese Gnocchi Recipe with Fresh Mozzarella
- Chicken Pasta with Vodka Sauce
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Cream Cheese Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 1 medium cucumber seeded and diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1 carrot sliced
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/3 cup Italian dressing
- 1/4 teaspoon Oregano
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Set cream cheese out on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature. This will make it easier to mix the cream cheese into the dressing.
- Boil a large pot of salted water, and cook pasta according to package. Drain and rinse noodles under cold water to stop them cooking. Set aside.
- Dice the cucumber and tomatoes, slice the peppers into fine bite-sized ribbons, chop the carrots and olives, and add all veggies to a bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the Italian dressing, lemon juice, oregano, and cream cheese. Mix well until cream cheese has blended into the dressing, and all ingredients are well combined.
- Pour cream cheese dressing over the pasta salad. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is vegetarian.
- To make this gluten free, ensure you use a certified gluten free pasta and dressing. Always check labels to be certified gluten free before using.
Nutrition
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This is a fantastic dish
This dish is superb
A crowd pleaser
Family loves this
Creamy and dreamy to consume