This cold pasta salad can be made either creamy or non-creamy and it is the perfect picnic or lunch idea for Summer! Bring some good bread and butter, a big bowl of (non-) creamy pasta salad with chorizo and you’ve got yourself a tasty treat.
I always make this for the Summer months, I love to bring a batch to the beach (in a cooler) or out on a picnic in the garden. It is so simple to make, really versatile and can easily feed a crowd! This is also very often served at parties, potlucks and bbqs for both adults and kids.
For a healthier and lighter pasta salad recipe, I can recommend this tomato and zucchini pasta salad with a lemon vinaigrette. But don’t rule this one out, because it has the very best pasta salad dressing.
The Best Pasta Salad Dressing
I do prefer this pasta salad with the creamy dressing, as you know I love my mayo. However, I know a lot of people don’t like the creamy mayoness (see what I did there?) and so I provide a super easy non-creamy version too, which is great as a dairy free option as well.
For the creamy pasta salad dressing: Finely chop pickled cucumber and mix with all the other dressing ingredients. Taste and season accordingly.
For the non-creamy, sun-dried oil dressing: Shake the ingredients together in a jar with a lid. In photo numbered (1) in the collage, you can see how this dressing looks.
You can play around with the flavors you like best, but I really love the sweet and tangy mayo dressing, the pickles add such a nice briney touch!
How do you get the mayo dressing to stick to the pasta? Choosing the right pasta shape
To get the dressing to stick to the pasta salad, you need to choose the right kind of pasta or macaroni. Preferably you should have a ridged pasta, so that the dressing will stick in between the ridges. Choosing a hollow pasta is a great alternative, as the sauce gets trapped inside the pasta.
- Fusilli: the corkscrew shape makes them perfect for holding onto sauces and dressings.
- Penne: the tube shape makes them perfect for filling with sauce and the ridges on the outside holds the sauce well too.
- Rigatoni: similar to the penne, and works great for the same reasons.
- Strozzapreti: the ‘rolled towel’-shape also has nooks and crannies for sauces.
- Macaroni: the sauce can get trapped inside the hollow shape, choose ridged macaroni for maximum sauciness.
I usually go for penne or fusilli for this recipe.
Should I rinse pasta for a cold pasta salad?
Yes. If you don’t rinse the pasta, the extra starch will lump all your pasta together making one big chunk of pasta. Simply rinse the pasta in cold water, in a colander. As this is a cold pasta salad, it doesn’t matter that the pasta gets completely cold.
How long will it last properly stored?
Store this cold pasta salad in an airtight container, in the fridge for about 3-4 days. This is a dish that is great for make-ahead lunches!
How to make creamy pasta salad from scratch
Mix the ingredients for the dressing together, taste and adjust seasonings accordingly. Cook pasta according to instructions on the box, and rinse in cold water in a colander after. Chop all the ingredients to desired size and place in a large bowl along with the dressing and rinsed cold pasta!
If there’s any vegetable or meat you don’t like, just leave it out. You can omit anything and replace it with anything, it is just that versatile! In the recipe card below I share with you my personal favorite combination, making it into a Spanish style pasta salad.
It is delicious with bread and butter or why don’t you try these cheese and bacon dinner rolls!
Did you like this recipe? Here’s more Summer picnic recipes:
- Homemade Dinner Rolls with Cheese and Bacon
- Easy Homemade Pizza Rolls
- Tomato and Zucchini Pasta Salad
- Grilled Harissa Chicken Salad
- Healthy Strawberry Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars
- Homemade Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping
- Ginger Lemon Iced Tea or Iced Hibiscus Lime Tea
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Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe with Chorizo
Ingredients
Creamy Pasta Dressing
- 2/3 cup sour cream 150ml
- 5 tbsp mayonnaise homemade or store-bought
- 3 tbsp finely chopped pickles about 60g / 2 oz
- 2 tbsp pickle brine the liquid from the pickle jar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley or 1 tsp fresh, optional
Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta 350g, fusilli or penne
- 1 1/4 cup shredded or cubed cooked ham 180g
- 1 cup chopped chorizo 100g
- 3/4 cup cubed cheese 100g, like Swiss or Jarlsberg
- 3/4 cup drained, canned corn 140g
- 1/3 cup drained, chopped sun-dried tomatoes reserve the oil if making oily dressing*
- 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
- 4 spring onion thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups arugula optional**
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients for the dressing together, taste and adjust seasoning accordingly, (see notes* if you want to make sun-dried oil dressing instead of creamy). Cook pasta according to instructions on the box, and then rinse in cold water in a colander.
- Chop all the ingredients to desired size and place in a large bowl along with the dressing and rinsed, cold pasta. Great with a slice of bread with butter.
- Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
I love all of the ingredients in this pasta salad. I tend to eat more chicken sausage, so I’m sure that would be a great substitute in this dish. This is so great for a warm spring picnic!
Yes there’s absolutely nothing wrong with using chicken sausage instead. Thank you so much!
I love how chockful of yumminess this salad is. The addition of chorizo is really going to be a hit with my family.
Thank you so much! I hope you all will love it!
I think I need to make both creamy and non-creamy dressings because the salad just looks delicious both ways. I love all the color and flavors.
I know right, it’s not always easy to decide. Thank you!
I like the creamy and the non-creamy option. A cold pasta salad is perfect on a hot day, especially when it can be made and last a few meals!
Thank you so much! This can definitely last a few meals.
Both versions look very appealing to me and will be trying them both for my BBQ party next weekend. Looks delish and they are protein-packed which I love.
Thank you so much, I’m glad you like them.
I love cooking with chorizo sausages because it adds another layer of flavor to any dish. I am sure to enjoy this pasta salad a lot!
Chorizo has such a special flavor. Thank you so much!
My family loves pasta salad but I never thought to add chorizo, its amazing. Thank you!
No problem, enjoy!
What a great twist on pasta salad with chorizo. Love there is a creamy and non-creamy version. So tasty and I can’t wait to try.
Thank you so much, dear Julie!
I’ve never had pasta salad with chorizo and it was so delicious! Great combo of flavors!
Thank you, Emily. So glad you liked it!
There are so many fun flavors in this pasta salad! So much better than a plain pasta salad. Plus the creaminess is a nice added touch.
Thank you so much, Alena! Food never has to be boring, right 🙂
I love to have a quick meal like a salad on hot summer days. This creamy pasta salad looks perfect.
So do I, and finally it seems like summer is here to stay! Thank you so much.