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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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.

Bowtie Pasta Salad Ingredients

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You’ll need:

For the 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

For the Bowtie Pasta Salad

• 12-ounce box of bowtie pasta (cooked to al dente and drained according to package directions)
• 1 (7-ounce) 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

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 Bowtie Pasta Salad Recipe

STEP ONE: To make the dressing, whisk together in a medium bowl, the mayonnaise, whole milk, white vinegar, ranch seasoning, granulated sugar, salt, and pepper. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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 Salad

Chicken Dinner Ideas

Caesar Pasta Salad

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: This classic pasta salad can be served immediately or after it has been refrigerated. If you refrigerate this pasta salad 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 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.

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. 

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Shrimp Salad
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• Chicken Salad
• Big Mac Salad
• Mexican Layered Salad
• Elbow Macaroni Pasta Salad
• Watermelon Salad
• BLT Pasta Salad
• Potato Salad
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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 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 12

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Ingredients

  

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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 in a medium bowl, the mayonnaise, whole milk, white vinegar, ranch seasoning, granulated sugar, salt, and pepper. 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.
• To the cooled bowtie pasta, add the remaining 1 cup of dressing and toss it to coat all the pasta with the dressing.
• 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.
• 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

Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 652mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 218IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 1mg

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