Layered Picnic Pasta Salad
Brighten up your outdoor gatherings with this stunning Layered Picnic Pasta Salad—a vibrant, flavor-packed dish that’s as beautiful as it is delicious! Perfectly al dente rotini is layered with crisp spinach, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, sweet yellow bell peppers, and tangy red onions, then topped with shredded cheddar cheese for a burst of richness. The creamy, zesty dressing combines mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice for a tangy kick that ties everything together. Served in a clear glass bowl, this salad’s colorful layers make it a true show-stopper, while the one-hour chill time allows the flavors to meld perfectly. Ideal for potlucks, picnics, or barbecues, this make-ahead pasta salad is the ultimate crowd-pleaser!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 300 grams pasta (rotini or fusilli)
- 200 grams cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 large cucumber, diced
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced
- 100 grams baby spinach leaves
- 100 grams shredded cheddar cheese
- 150 grams mayonnaise
- 120 grams sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
Prepare the vegetables by halving the cherry tomatoes, dicing the cucumber, finely dicing the red onion, and chopping the yellow bell pepper.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing. Set aside.
In a large, clear glass bowl or trifle dish, begin layering the salad. Start with a layer of cooked pasta at the bottom.
Add a layer of baby spinach leaves on top of the pasta, followed by a layer of cucumbers.
Next, add a layer of cherry tomatoes, then a layer of diced red onions, and a layer of yellow bell peppers.
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the vegetables.
Drizzle the creamy dressing over the salad, ensuring it covers the top layer evenly.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley for added color and flavor.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
Toss the salad gently just before serving or serve it layered for a beautiful presentation.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
400 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 30.0 g | 38% | |
| Saturated Fat | 9.4 g | 47% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 37 mg | 12% | |
| Sodium | 494 mg | 21% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 25.0 g | 9% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.0 g | 11% | |
| Total Sugars | 5.9 g | ||
| Protein | 9.7 g | 19% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 190 mg | 15% | |
| Iron | 1.7 mg | 10% | |
| Potassium | 406 mg | 9% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
