Easy Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe

creamy pasta salad

creamy pasta salad

Summer is here, and it’s time to fire up the grill and enjoy the great outdoors. And what better way to complement your grilled meats and veggies than with a delicious and easy-to-make creamy pasta salad?

This pasta salad recipe is a classic that has been enjoyed by my family many for years. It’s creamy, tangy, and packed with fresh veggies that add a pop of color and flavor. Plus, it’s so easy to make that you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it before.

To make this creamy pasta salad, you’ll need rotini pasta, grape tomatoes, red onion, sweet peas, parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, Italian dressing, and a variety of seasonings. The first step is to cook the pasta according to package directions or al dente. Once cooked, drain the pasta in a colander. Avoid rinsing this allows the sauce to coat the pasta better.

Next, add the cooked pasta, grape tomatoes, red onion, and sweet peas in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, tony cachere, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture, top with parmesan cheese, and stir until everything is evenly coated.

 

Cover the bowl with a top or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld together and the pasta salad to chill properly.

When it’s time to serve, give the pasta salad a quick stir and enjoy! The creamy dressing pairs perfectly with grilled meats and veggies, making it the perfect side dish for any summer barbecue or picnic.

In conclusion, this creamy pasta salad is a delicious and easy recipe that is perfect for summer and grilling time. With its fresh veggies and tangy dressing, it’s sure to be a hit with everyone at your next gathering. So give it a try and see for yourself how delicious it can be!

Want a lighter dressing? Take a look at my FRESH SPAGHETTI SALAD

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creamy pasta salad

Creamy Pasta Salad


Description

Light and tangy Pasta Salad, with just enough creamy dressing to coat the noodles and vegetables, this is one heck of an awesome creamy pasta salad


Ingredients

Scale

12 oz small pasta noodles

12 oz grape tomatoes, halved

3/4 cup red onion, chopped

2 cups frozen peas (thawed)

12 oz ham, chopped (or protein of choice)

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

For sauce

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 c Italian dressing

2 tsp tony chachere seasoning

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp black pepper


Instructions

Cook the pasta noodles in a large pot of water according to their package directions, until cooked al dente. Drain the water out. Do not rinse.
While the pasta is cooling, prepare other ingredients . Set aside.
In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, dressing, tiny cachere, sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Whisk them together till combined.
Add tomatoes, red onions, peas, sauce, and parmesan to pasta and mix well.
Cover the pasta bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for 4-6 hours.
Mix again before serving.
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Stovetop

Keywords: creamy pasta salad, pasta salad, salad, side dish

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Creamy Corn Grits

Creamy Corn Grits

 

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5 from 1 vote

Yellow Corn Grits

Grits, a quintessentially Southern staple, made from stone-ground corn can become the backbone for so many dishes
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 266kcal
Author: Belle Omniley

Ingredients

  • 2 corn on the cob fresh, ears
  • 2 C water
  • 1 C heavy cream
  • 1 C chicken broth
  • 1 tsp chicken granulated bouillon
  • 1 C yellow corn grits
  • 0.5 Tbsp salt
  • 2 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp red hot sauce
  • 1 stick butter salted

Instructions

  • Grill 2 ears of corn on the cob. Remove grill kernels and set to the side.
  • Bring water, heavy cream, and chicken broth to a boil.
  • Add salt and chicken bouillon and stir well.
  • Slowly whisk in grits and cook on simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stirring frequently.
  • Add in white pepper, paprika, garlic powder and stir well.
  • Next add hot sauce and stir.
  • Add the grilled kernels of corn.
  • Remove from heat and add stick of butter; Cover to allow butter to melt. Serve immediately.

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Roasted Tomato Caprese

Roasted Tomato Caprese

Greetings, I hope this post finds you well. I am happy to share with you some more Belle-approved kitchen finds: Mutti® Double Concentrated Tomato Paste and Mutti® Finely Chopped Tomatoes available at Albertsons, which reminds me of my NaNa. She was caring, sweet, but knew how to demonstrate just the right amount of sass. My PawPaw and her had a garden every year, and she loved tomatoes. You all know we plant a garden every year as well and the one thing my husband must absolutely have is tons of tomato plants. Well, fast forward to the Louisiana heat and we have lost all our crops in record time this year. That still doesn’t stop me from craving fresh tomatoes. If you are feeling the same way, I am happy to share with you my Roasted Tomato Caprese dedicated to my NaNa and husband.

 

The Double Concentrated Tomato Paste has such a rich, intense, and sweet taste; it takes 1.5 lbs of tomatoes to make each tube. I also incorporated some of the Mutti® Cherry Tomatoes into this recipe, and they are sweet, succulent and so fresh you can taste it straight from the can. Oh, and roasting them takes the bold robust taste to another level. Mutti® tomatoes are made with just two ingredients: sun-ripened Italian tomatoes and a pinch of Mediterranean sea salt. Did you know that many other brands add Citric Acid and Calcium Chloride? Be sure to check your Albertsons app for availability and coupons. I utilized the grocery pick up and it was such a smooth and convenient process. I’m sure these tomatoes and my recipe will get me NaNa’s approval too.
Preheat the oven to 350.  Drain cans of tomatoes and place in a bowl. You can save reserved contents and make a great tomato soup base.

Mix together tomato paste, half of the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and sugar. Pour mixture over tomatoes and coat tomatoes.

Place coated tomatoes in oven and roast 20-25 minutes until tomatoes begin to burst. Meanwhile, cut fresh mozzarella into large chunk size pieces and place in a serving dish. Salt and pepper to taste.

Immediately pour roasted tomato mixture on top of mozzarella pieces and mix lightly. Top with fresh basil and serve immediately. Perfect with a crusty baguette.

Belle’s tip: Place over your favorite pasta to make this a full meal. You can also opt to serve straight out of the can and skip the roasting as they taste just as fresh.



I hope this recipe brings you as much joy as it brings my family. Don’t forget, Mutti is available at your local Albertsons. As always, thank you for following along with me as I share recipes from the soul with memories of my NaNa sprinkled throughout. Be Well-Omniley

 

 

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This post has been sponsored by Mutti®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Belle Omniley
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Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

I must admit the best Butternut Squash soup I have had in my life so far was at 5th & Taylor located in Tennessee while on a business trip. It was the perfect blend of sweet and savory and perfect for the November outing we were having at the time. I have been making it every fall since then and it will be making a lot of appearances in my home this fall, so I decided to share the recipe with you all. Typically my recipes have some memory of my NaNa and while this one is not directly from her; she used to make a stewed summer squash out of this world. I am still working on that recipe so for now, you have Belle’s Spicy Butternut Squash Soup.

Sometimes the easiest secrets are in the spices. I added a pinch of turmeric (for color and spice), cumin, and smoked paprika to elevate the taste of this dish.

Sometimes the easiest secrets are in the spices. I added a pinch of turmeric (for color and spice), cumin, and smoked paprika to elevate the taste of this dish.

You all should know by now I’m all about working smarter not harder, so I opted to use butternut squash from the frozen section already diced. If you have time and want that extra freshness you can dice up a fresh squash. And yes, this sage is from my herb garden. Add vegetable stock, garlic, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, onion, salt, pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, and cumin to an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Toss to combine. Close lid securely and set for soup settings for 30 minutes.

Then allow pressure to vent naturally, and wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped. Remove the lid. Wait for everyone to come to see what that smell is!!!

Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Taste, and season with additional salt if needed.

One of the fun things about this soup is choosing your garnishing. I’ve had it with toasted granola with pecans it was so delicious.

Serve warm, with your choice of garnishes. Topped here with pumpkin seeds and coconut milk.

This soup is perfect for a cozy meal by the fire or watching your favorite Lifetime movie. I hope it brings joy to your home this Fall. As always thank you for taking the time to follow my journey. Be Blessed-Omniley

 

 

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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

This spicy butternut squash soup is smooth and creamy. It's loaded with spices for a bold and flavourful soup!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Dish, Side
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 119kcal
Author: Belle Omniley

Ingredients

  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 bag baby carrots cut in half
  • 1 Granny Smith apple diced
  • 24 oz Butternut Squash, frozen If you opt for fresh squash medium size 3#--peeled, seeded and diced, uncooked
  • 1 fresh sage sprig
  • 1 purple onion diced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/8 teaspoon tumeric
  • 1 pinch ground cumin
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • pinch smoked paprika
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk

Instructions

  • Add vegetable stock, garlic, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, onion, salt, pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, and cumin to an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Toss to combine. Close lid securely and set for soup settings for 30 minutes.
  • Then allow pressure to vent naturally, and wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped. Remove the lid.
  • Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.
  • Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Taste, and season with additional salt if needed
  • Serve warm, with your choice of garnishes. Topped here with pumpkin seeds and coconut milk.
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Belle’s All-Star Homemade French Fries

Belle’s All-Star Homemade French Fries

Paired here with my Southern Fried Catfish.

Greetings. I hope everyone is staying safe. I’m so ready for the fall and I am in full swing of putting up fall decor. I’m sharing with you all today my All-Star Homemade French Fries recipe. I think I have cooked these at least once a week since the pandemic and shared on my other channels. This recipe definitely deserves its own spot here on my blog. All of my family members love them when I serve them, so I am happy to be sharing with you all today. A couple of things I have changed over the years with my homemade fries is what I think is the game changer–leaving the skin on, self-rising flour, and flaky sea salt. Leaving the skin and the self-rising flour have taken the crunch factor to another level. I also love to add flaky sea salt as soon as they come out of the oil. You will see later I hand cut my fries everything is that love or just plain crazy. You tell me?

Belle’s Tip: Leave the skin on the potato; Just scrub the skin well with warm water.

 

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5 from 2 votes

Belle's Homemade French Fries

perfect for an appetizer or to serve with any meal. Try with my Lazy Pulled Pork
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side
Cuisine: Southern
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 757kcal

Ingredients

  • 2-3 Jumbo Russet Potatoes
  • 2 C Self Rising Flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp Cornstarch
  • Cayenne Pepper to taste
  • Canola Oil for frying

Instructions

  • Cut potatoes and let soak in water for 30 minutes.
  • Rinse with cold water and let drain.
  • Season cut fries with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.
  • Mix flour and cornstarch together and then coat cut season cut potatoes with the flour mixture.
  • Fry for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove from oil and place on top of cooking rack on cookie sheet (place paper towel under rack. Then sprinkle with coarse sea salt lightly.

Notes

Healthier options: avoid coating with flour and fry in oil  10-15 minutes or air fryer for 30-40 minutes.

 

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Belle’s Loaded Deviled Eggs

Belle’s Loaded Deviled Eggs

Easter is fastly approaching and I’m beginning to think about all the leftover eggs we will all have from all of the Easter Egg Hunters. I love to use the leftover eggs for my famous “Belle’s Loaded Deviled Eggs”. 

These are sure to be a crowd-pleaser and with the eggs already boiled this cuts the prep time down to 10 minutes. These eggs can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I love to top mine with paprika…I mean I don’t even consider them deviled eggs unless they have paprika on them. What about you?

 

Belle's Loaded Deviled Eggs

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Southern
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 6 Eggs
  • 1/4 Cup Mrs. Renfro's Nacho Cheese Sauce optional
  • 1/4 Cup Bacon Bits
  • 1/4 Cup Chopped Green Onions
  • 1 Tbsp Chives
  • 1 Tbsp Mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp Mustard
  • Splash of Hot Sauce
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tsp Parpika

Instructions

  • Boil 6 eggs and peel. Slice the hard-boiled eggs in half and remove the yolks and reserve into a small bowl.
  • Prepare your filling: Mash the yolks thoroughly with a fork, then add cheese dip, mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper, and 1/2 of the green onions and 1/2 of the bacon until completely combined.
  • Use either a sandwich Ziploc bag or small ice cream scooper and fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture.
  • Top each of the deviled eggs with the leftover bacon and greens onions if desire, and sprinkle with paprika and chives. then serve while they’re nice and fresh!
  • Place leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Caramelized Onions

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5 from 1 vote

Caramelized Onions

Perfect for topping steaks or hamburger steaks.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 192kcal
Author: Belle Omniley

Equipment

  • skillet

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp EVOO
  • 2 yellow onions sliced
  • 1 pint mushrooms washed and sliced
  • ¼ c beef broth
  • 1 tbsp white sugar
  • 2 tbsp butter unsalted
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Add 1 Tbsp of EVOO, 2 yellow onions-sliced, salt and pepper to taste sauté on low for 10-12 minutes stir frequently.
  • Add beef broth to moisten. Once the onions are softened add 1 Tbsp of white sugar and turn up heat for 1 minutes stir constantly to avoid burning.
  • Add in remaining beef broth and cook on low-med heat for 5 minutes.
  • Add in mushrooms and cook for 2 additional minutes. Cut heat off; add in 2 Tbsp of butter additional salt and pepper if needed and stir well. Serve over meat of choice.

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Belle Omniley

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