This Parmesan Pasta Salad is tossed with blanched asparagus, corn and sun-dried tomatoes and tossed in a creamy Parmesan Dressing. Adding Parmesan cheese to the mayonnaise and sour cream sauce adds another level of flavor! This will be a summer salad recipe you will make for years to come.

So fresh and delicious, this parmesan pasta salad is perfect for any gathering, no matter what time of year it may be. And, you will be guaranteed that you will be asked for this recipe over and over again!

We love summer salad recipes!

Most people love a delicious summer salad recipe. Grumpy is no exception! He loves the tuna fish and green pea version of macaroni salad the most. He also loves Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad recipe.

Parmesan Pasta Salad is different than most pasta salad recipes. It has the tang of sun-dried tomatoes with a fresh bite of freshly blanched asparagus. This Pasta Salad with Creamy Parmesan Dressing was a huge hit with Grumpy!

What you need to know for making a perfect Pasta Salad!

• Always rinse your hot cooked pasta with cold water when you plan to eat it in a cold salad! Rinsing in cold water will stop the pasta from cooking. Similar to shocking your vegetables in cold water, your pasta will keep its toothsome texture when you do this.
• Pasta is going to soak up moisture. Because of this, if you have leftovers you need to refrigerate, your salad can seem dry the next day. The easy solution to this is to add a little more mayonnaise until it is creamy enough for you.
• Mayonnaise on its own can have a “heavy” taste and feel to it. I freshen this dish up more by using half mayonnaise and half sour cream in the dressing mixture.
• I like the results of this recipe with dried Parmesan Cheese. Your dressing will be “looser” if you go with fresh cheese over dried.

How to make Parmesan Pasta Salad

Cook your pasta: I recommend rotini pasta as I love the way the dressing catches up in the spirals. Cook your pasta according to the package your product came in.

Remove the cooked pasta from your hot water by using a slotted spoon and place in a strainer. Immediately rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the pasta from cooking. Do not drain the water from the pasta. You will use this water to blanch your vegetables.

Add asparagus to boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place in a bowl of ice cold water to shock it and stop it from cooking. Once cold, remove from water and drain.

Add corn to boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place in a bowl of ice cold water to shock it and stop it from cooking. Once cooled, remove from water and cut kernels of corn from the corn cob. See tips below for how to cut the kernels from the cob.

Place your salad ingredients in a mixing bowl. Make the parmesan dressing and add it to your salad ingredients. Once the dressing has coated your salad, refrigerate until ready to eat.

How to strip the corn from the cob

• Place the corn, stem side down on a sturdy cutting board.
• Holding the top end of the corn, using a sharp knife, start at the top and cut downward using a sawing motion.
• Continue to cut down the ear of corn until all kernels have been removed from the cob.

More Summer Salad Recipes you may love!

Summer Salad Recipes!

Summertime is for cold salad recipes!

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

The flavor of this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad is completely and totally addicting! The tang and bite of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce come through with the toothsome pasta and has an absolutely amazing flavor!

Continue Reading

Photo Credit: www.cookingwithcarlee.com

BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad

This pasta salad has it all, BBQ, ranch, tomatoes, avocados, corn and more! It's perfect for picnics, BBQs, potlucks and more!

Continue Reading

Photo Credit: cookingwithcurls.com

Antipasto Salad

This Antipasto Salad is perfection! Its loaded with flavorful Italian meats, cheese, olives and veggies, perfect for summer picnics!

Continue Reading

Photo Credit: 4sonrus.com

Deviled Egg Pasta Salad

Everyone’s favorite hard boiled egg appetizer meets creamy pasta salad in this fun combo of Deviled Egg Pasta Salad. It’s the best dish, bound for your next barbecue- and it’s epic.

Continue Reading

Yield: 8 servings

Pasta Salad with Creamy Parmesan Dressing

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This Easy Pasta Salad with Creamy Parmesan Dressing has a ton of flavor and a fresh touch from blanched corn on the cob and asparagus. The tang of sun-dried tomatoes adds another level of flavor. I promise if you share this version of a pasta salad this summer, everyone will be asking you for the recipe!

Print

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1/2 lb dried fusilli pasta
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato, cut into thin strips
• 2 ears fresh corn on the cob, blanched, cold shocked and stripped from cob
• 1 lb asparagus, blanched, cold shocked, and cut into bite sized pieces

For the Dressing

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 large garlic clove, finely grated
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse under cold water. Prep your veggies and mix into pasta. Set aside to combine dressing. Combine dressing ingredients and fold into pasta mixture. Chill, serve, & enjoy!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Pampered Chef Corn Kernel Cutter

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1/8 of recipe
Amount Per Serving Calories 272Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 22mgSodium 324mgCarbohydrates 24gFiber 3gSugar 4gProtein 8g

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy, but will vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients you use. Please consult with your doctor regarding specific health needs.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram