Description
This creamy bow tie pasta salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish combining tender pasta with fresh vegetables and a rich, tangy dressing. Perfect for a quick lunch or a side dish at your next picnic, it blends sweet corn, black beans, peas, and crunchy bell peppers with a luscious mayonnaise and Greek yogurt-based dressing infused with Dijon mustard and a hint of lemon.
Ingredients
Pasta and Vegetables
- 7 oz bow tie pasta
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 medium bell pepper (yellow or red), diced
- 2 medium carrots, shredded
- 1 cup sweet corn (canned, drained)
- 1½ cups black beans (cooked or canned, drained and rinsed)
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ⅔ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp sugar
- Salt, to taste
- ½-1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta and Peas: Boil the bow tie pasta in salted water according to the package instructions until al dente. Midway through cooking, add the frozen peas to the pot and cook until both are tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool completely.
- Prepare Vegetables: In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced bell pepper, shredded carrots, sweet corn, and black beans ensuring an even distribution of all ingredients.
- Add Pasta and Peas: Once cooled, add the cooked pasta and peas to the vegetable mix.
- Make the Dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, cracked black pepper, ketchup, and lemon juice until the dressing is smooth and creamy.
- Combine Salad and Dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mix, stirring gently to coat all ingredients evenly with the creamy dressing.
- Chill and Serve: For the best flavor, refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour before serving. Reserve a little dressing to drizzle over the salad just before serving since the pasta absorbs some dressing during chilling.
Notes
- Using Greek yogurt in the dressing adds a tangy flavor and reduces the fat content compared to using mayonnaise alone.
- Adding fresh lemon juice brightens the dressing and balances the sweetness from the sugar and ketchup.
- To make this dish vegan, substitute mayonnaise and Greek yogurt with vegan alternatives and ensure the sugar is vegan-friendly.
- This salad can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; dress just before serving to maintain freshness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
