Healthy Cucumber Pasta Salad Recipe
This Healthy Cucumber Pasta Salad is a refreshing, creamy dish perfect for warm weather or as a light meal. Combining tender penne pasta with crisp cucumbers and a flavorful, tangy dressing made with mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, and vinegar, this salad offers a delightful blend of textures and tastes. It’s easy to prepare, served cold, and ideal for picnics, potlucks, or as a side dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta Salad:
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 1/2 white onion, finely minced
- 1 English cucumber, diced into ¼-inch pieces
For the Dressing:
- Black pepper, to taste (freshly ground preferred)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (Hellmann’s preferred)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream (full-fat for best texture)
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl – mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper, and fresh dill. Mix thoroughly until smooth and well blended. Set the dressing aside to allow the flavors to meld.
- Prepare the Onions: Thinly slice the half white onion and place the slices in a bowl of cold water. This helps mellow the sharpness and reduces pungency, making the onions milder and more pleasant in the salad.
- Cook and Cool the Pasta: Cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Once cooked, immediately rinse the pasta under cold running water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Slice the Cucumber: Cut the English cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds to avoid excess moisture in the salad. Then slice the cucumber into thin slices or dice as preferred.
- Assemble the Salad: In the large bowl with pasta, add the drained onion slices and cucumber pieces. Pour the prepared dressing over all the ingredients. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat everything evenly with the dressing. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 40 minutes before serving to develop and enhance flavors.
Notes
- Soaking the sliced onions in cold water helps reduce their sharpness and bite.
- Removing cucumber seeds prevents the salad from becoming watery.
- Allowing the salad to rest chilled improves flavor integration and texture consistency.
- Use full-fat sour cream and mayonnaise for best creamy texture and flavor.
- This salad can be made a few hours ahead of time for convenience.
Keywords: Cucumber pasta salad, healthy pasta salad, creamy pasta salad, summer salad, cucumber recipes, easy pasta salad, vegetarian salad
Find it online: https://www.cheftara.com/healthy-cucumber-pasta-salad-recipe/
