This Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad is the ultimate Summer side dish! Loaded with perfectly cooked pasta, fresh crunchy cucumbers, spicy red onion and a delicious lightened up dressing made with Greek yogurt!
This recipe is sponsored by my friends at DaVinci’s Pasta. Thank you for continuing to support the brands that make OBB possible!
Summer produce is in full swing here in North Carolina! One of my friends from church is constantly asking me if I need some extra cucumbers because his garden is literally overflowing with them. Lucky me, right? Similar to what I have told you in a lot of my blog posts…as a kid, I used to hate cucumbers! Now – I love them! Praise be for tastebuds changing, right?! Yes!
I finally took him up on it and lo and behold, this delicious Creamy Cucumber Salad was born. Have y’all ever heard of a Cucumber Pasta Salad? I’m not sure if this concept is a Southern dish…I just normally assume that any “salad” that’s made with mayonnaise was most likely originated in the South. I love where I’m from! Haha.
However – whereas you can totally use mayonnaise in this dish, I decided since it’s so super hot out, I would lighten this recipe up a bit! Instead of the normal mayo based dressing, I used greek yogurt! It made it so extra creamy – not to mention it gives you a wonderful boost of protein! It has the perfect amount of creaminess and acidity with the slight tang from the Greek yogurt.
And HELLO PASTA! Yes, would it really even be a summer side dish if some type of pasta weren’t involved?! For this dish, I used DaVinci’s rigatoni pasta – I think it is a really hearty option that allows the dressing to be soaked all up in its goodness. By adding the pasta – you also have the opportunity to make this deliciousness as a meal by itself! Win win, y’all. So…let’s get into how to make it!
Ingredients you need for Lightened Up Cucumber Pasta Salad:
- rigatoni pasta
- greek yogurt
- fresh cucumbers (the super long English cucumbers work the best for this recipe )
- red onion (can sub white for less of a “bite”)
- dill
- white wine vinegar
- salt and pepper
How to Make Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad:
This is such an easy recipe, y’all. Seriously. Yes to Summer recipes that don’t require hardly any effort!
First, begin by cooking your pasta according to the box instructions! Make sure to salt your water and cook the pasta until al dente.
Once it’s done, let it cool! If desired, rinse cold water over top to stop the cooking and speed up the cooling process.
While the pasta is cooling off, slice up your cucumber! Slice it in half lengthwise and then slice very thin slices of cucumber. Do the same thing with the red onion! Thin slices go a long way here, folks!
Next, mix together the delicious Greek yogurt dill dressing! Combine the Greek yogurt with the dill, spices, and white wine vinegar. Mix until deliciously thick and creamy. Set this aside.
In a large bowl, add your cooled off pasta. On top, add your cucumbers, onions and all of the Greek yogurt dressing! Mix together gently until fully combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. I always love garnishing with a big pinch of extra dill – it makes it taste extra fresh and adds an amazing pop of flavor.
Let it sit in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes to make sure all of the flavors can melt together and it can stay cold!
Enjoy when chilled and eat up!
Hope you guys loved this one and are having a great Summer. Let me know what your favorite garden produce is this time of year in the comments below! XO.
Did you like this recipe? Here are a few more you might enjoy:
Heirloom Tomato Tart with Basil Sauce
Chili Lime Avocado and Black Bean Dip
Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8-10 oz rigatoni pasta
- 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
Greek Yogurt Dill Dressing
- 1 cup whole fat plain greek yogurt (can sub mayo if desired)
- 3 tbsp fresh chopped dill
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
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Cook the according to the package directions until it's al dente. Drain and let the pasta cool.
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While the pasta is cooling, slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and then dice it into thin slices. Slice ½ of a red onion into thin slices as well. Set these aside.
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In a small bowl, mix the full fat plain greek yogurt along with the white wine vinegar, fresh dill, salt and pepper. Mix until fully combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
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In a large bowl, add the cooled rigatoni pasta. Top with the fresh sliced cucumber and red onion and all of the dressing. Mix gently to combine.
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Place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to let the pasta salad cool off and for the flavors to meld together.
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When serving, if desired, add a large handful of dill on top for garnish and an extra pop of flavor! Enjoy!
Thank you so much for following along here, friends! Want to see more? Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo if you end up making a recipe! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! Like a recipe that you saw? Follow me on Pinterest here! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make a recipe, it would make my whole day if you were to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Lots of love! – Haylie
This is such a cool and refreshing pasta salad Haylie! Perfect for a summer cookout or picnic! Love the addition of red onion for extra flavour!
Thanks, Leanne! Red onion is definitely my go-to! So much flavor in one little bite!
Haylie, this cucumber pasta salad looks so cool, creamy, and refreshing! I love it! The dill must give it wonderful flavor! This is definitely on my list to make! Pinning!
Yay! Thank you so much, Kelly! I love the added flavor the dill gives it 🙂
This looks so good! Do you use this dressing for any other recipes?
Suzanne, thank you so much! 🙂 I actually never have..but I can imagine it would go delightfully well with lots of pasta salads that usually have a mayonnaise base!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Vanessa, thanks for commenting! I’d say this keeps for about 3-4 days in the fridge 🙂 I think the second day is the best because all of the flavors meld together so well!