Bowtie Pasta Salad

Packed with plenty of colorful veggies, tender pasta, and tangy dressing, this bowtie pasta salad will be a delicious addition to your summer menu.

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Table of Contents

Bowtie Pasta Salad Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Bow Tie Pasta Salad Recipe
How To Serve
Storing This Bowtie Macaroni Salad
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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This delicious bowtie pasta salad is the perfect side dish to serve at all of your summer gatherings and potlucks. It’s loaded with plenty of fresh veggies, ham, cheese, and a creamy dressing that will have you coming back for seconds.

overhead shot of Bowtie Pasta Salad in a bowl with tongs

Bowtie Pasta Salad Ingredients

Bowtie Pasta Salad raw ingredients that are labeled

This salad combines the al dente texture of the bowtie pasta with the crispness of garden-fresh vegetables, giving it a refreshing flavor.

The creamy salad dressing elevates the taste and brings out the tanginess in the dish. The pasta salad is full of flavors and crunch, making it a perfect summer meal for gatherings.

You’ll need:

For The Dressing:

¾ cup of mayonnaise
¾ cup of whole milk
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning (from a 1-ounce packet)
1½ teaspoons of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper

For The Bowtie Pasta Salad:

12-ounce box of bowtie (farfalle) pasta (cooked to al dente and drained according to package directions)
1 (7-ounce) smoked uncured ham steak, diced
1 cup of cheddar-Monterey jack cheese block, diced
1 cup of cucumber, seeds removed and diced
1 cup of red onion, diced
1 cup of grape tomatoes that have been cut in half

PRO TIP:

Make sure you don’t overcook the pasta, or it will fall apart in your salad if it is too soft.

Substitutions And Additions

CHEESE: I like the flavor of the block of cheddar-Monterey jack cheese in this creamy pasta salad, but you can certainly substitute a sharp cheddar, Colby jack, or block of Swiss cheese.

MIX-INS: This easy recipe has plenty of room for extras. Try black olives, green onion, or green bell peppers for a few ideas.

TOMATOES: If you can’t find grape tomatoes at the grocery store, cherry tomatoes would work just as well.

PASTA: If you can’t find bowtie pasta, also known as farfalle pasta, any bite-size pasta would be delicious in this salad.

How To Make This Bow Tie Pasta Salad Recipe

You can whisk together the creamy dressing first before tossing it with all the delicious ingredients to make this salad. Let’s dive into making your pasta salad.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Make sure you dice all your vegetables, block cheese, and ham steak in the same size (approximately ¼ to ½-inch-sized cubes). Your grape tomatoes only need to be cut in half.

STEP ONE: To make the dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, whole milk, white vinegar, ranch seasoning, granulated sugar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer ½ cup of the dressing to a separate bowl to reserve. Set aside the dressing to thicken up while you make the rest of the recipe.

mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, ranch seasoning, sugar, salt and pepper whisked together in a bowl

STEP TWO: In a large bowl, add the cooked and drained bowtie pasta noodles and allow it to cool for 10 minutes while you dice all your other ingredients.

PRO TIP:

Rinsing hot pasta in cold water helps cool it down quicker and prevents it from sticking together.

STEP THREE: To the cooled bowtie pasta, add the remaining 1 cup of dressing and toss it to coat all the pasta with the dressing.

dressing tossed with the pasta with a spoon in a bowl

STEP FOUR: To the bowl of pasta and dressing, add the diced ham, diced cheddar-Monterey jack cheese, diced cucumber, diced red onion, and grape tomato halves.

PRO TIP:

If your ham steak has been packaged in a liquid, you will want to pat it dry before dicing it. You can also trim off the tough edges before dicing it if you’d like, although this is optional.

STEP FIVE: Toss all the diced vegetables, diced ham, and cheese with the dressing-coated bowtie pasta until everything is evenly distributed.

diced vegetables, ham and cheese tossed with a spoon in a bowl

STEP SIX: Transfer to a large serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

How To Serve

Pasta salad is always a winning choice for a summer side dish, and this yummy bowtie pasta salad is no exception.

Serve along with our grilled chicken breast, cucumber salad, and grilled corn on the cob for the perfect summer meal.

Some of our best pasta salad recipes include our Greek pasta salad and Italian pasta salad.

MORE SALAD RECIPES

No Bake Desserts

Ambrosia (Fruit Salad)

Chicken Dinner Ideas

Caesar Pasta Salad

Storing This Bowtie Macaroni Salad

Here are a few tips for storing this pasta salad to enjoy later.

IN THE FRIDGE: This classic pasta salad can be served immediately or after it has been refrigerated. If you refrigerate it before serving, you may want to add the reserved ½ cup of dressing and toss it with the chilled pasta salad. As your bowtie pasta salad sits, the pasta will absorb some of the dressing.

Place leftover pasta salad with farfalle in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing this tangy pasta salad recipe as it will become soggy once thawed.

close up shot of a spoon with a piece of bowtie pasta salad

The mix of textures and flavors drenched in the creamy ranch dressing in this bowtie pasta salad is always a crowd-pleaser, and it’s perfect for potlucks and summer get-togethers. Plus, it’s easy to customize with any of your favorite ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store this summer salad?

This easy pasta salad recipe can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.

Can I make this farfalle pasta salad ahead of time?

This great recipe can be made the day before. The next day, it will have had time to soak up some of the extra dressing, and the salad will be extra flavorful.

What is al dente?

Al dente is the ideal consistency for pasta. The pasta will be tender and will still have a slightly firm texture when you bite into it.

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Bowtie Pasta Salad

5 from 1 vote

Packed with plenty of colorful veggies, tender pasta, and tangy dressing, this bowtie pasta salad will be a delicious addition to your summer menu.

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings

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Ingredients

Dressing

¾ cup mayonnaise
¾ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon ranch seasoning, from a 1-ounce packet
1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Bowtie Pasta Salad

12 ounces bowtie pasta, cooked and drained according to box instructions
7 ounces smoked uncured ham steak, diced
1 cup cheddar-Monterey jack cheese block, diced
1 cup cucumber, seeds removed and diced
1 cup red onion, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, that have been cut in half

Instructions

To make the dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, whole milk, white vinegar, ranch seasoning, granulated sugar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer ½ cup of the dressing to a separate bowl to reserve. Set aside the dressing to thicken up while you make the rest of the recipe.
In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked and drained bowtie pasta and allow it to cool for 10 minutes while you dice all your other ingredients.
Add the remaining 1 cup of dressing to the cooled bowtie pasta and toss it to coat all the pasta with the dressing.
Add the diced ham, diced cheddar-Monterey jack cheese, diced cucumber, diced red onion, and grape tomato halves to the bowl of pasta and dressing.
Toss all the diced vegetables, diced ham, and diced cheese with the dressing-coated bowtie pasta until everything is evenly distributed.
Transfer to a large serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Make sure you don’t overcook the pasta, or it will fall apart in your salad if it is too soft.
Make sure you dice all your vegetables, block cheese, and ham steak in the same size (approximately ¼ to ½-inch-sized cubes). Your grape tomatoes only need to be cut in half.
Rinsing hot pasta in cold water helps cool it down quicker and prevents it from sticking together
If your ham steak has been packaged in a liquid, you will want to pat it dry before dicing it. You can also trim off the tough edges before dicing it if you’d like, although this is optional.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!