Creamy Pasta Salad with Bacon, Peas, and Parmesan Recipe
A creamy and flavorful pasta salad featuring tender small pasta noodles, sweet peas, crispy bacon, and freshly grated parmesan, all tossed in a tangy homemade mayonnaise dressing. Perfectly chilled, this salad makes a delightful side dish for picnics, barbecues, or casual meals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 12 oz small pasta noodles
- 2 cups frozen peas (thawed)
Protein and Cheese
- 12 oz thick cut bacon (cooked and chopped)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder (to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the pasta noodles in a large pot of boiling water following package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the noodles.
- Prepare Ingredients: While the pasta cooks, thaw the frozen peas, cook and crumble the thick-cut bacon, and grate the parmesan cheese. Set these aside for assembly.
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper until smooth and well combined to create a flavorful dressing.
- Combine Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, thawed peas, chopped bacon, and grated parmesan. Pour the prepared dressing over all ingredients and gently stir to evenly coat everything in the dressing.
- Chill or Serve: Cover the pasta salad with a lid or plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld. Alternatively, serve immediately if desired.
Notes
- For best texture, rinse pasta with cold water after cooking to prevent sticking and cool it for the salad.
- You can substitute bacon with pancetta or turkey bacon for a different flavor or lighter option.
- Adjust the seasoning such as salt and sugar to your taste preference.
- This salad can be made a day in advance and kept refrigerated to enhance flavors.
- Add chopped fresh herbs like parsley or chives for extra freshness if desired.
Keywords: creamy pasta salad, bacon pasta salad, chilled pasta salad, easy pasta salad, picnic salad, summer salad, pasta with peas and bacon
