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Fresh Cucumber Pasta Salad

Fresh cucumber pasta salad with crisp cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and dill tossed in a creamy lemon-garlic dressing. Light, refreshing, and chilled for at least 1 hour for peak flavor and texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rotini or penne pasta
  • 1 lb rotini or penne pasta Use about 1 lb dry pasta.
Cucumbers
  • 2 large cucumbers Dice into bite-size pieces.
Cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halve before mixing.
Red onion
  • 0.5 cup red onion Finely dice for even flavor in every bite.
Creamy dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise For the creamy base.
  • 0.5 cup sour cream Balances tang with creaminess.
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill Chopped; saves flavor when used fresh.
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice Adds brightness.
  • 1 garlic clove Minced.
  • salt To taste.
  • black pepper To taste.

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook rotini or penne pasta according to package directions until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta quickly.
Make the creamy dill dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh dill, lemon juice, minced garlic clove, salt, and black pepper in a bowl until smooth and evenly combined. The dressing should look thick but pourable enough to coat pasta.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine pasta, diced large cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes, and finely diced red onion in a large bowl. Toss gently so the vegetables are evenly distributed.
Coat and chill
  1. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat every piece of pasta and cucumber. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed so nothing stays dry.
Re-season and serve
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour before serving. Once chilled, toss again and adjust seasoning with more salt and black pepper to taste before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta with cold water thoroughly so the salad stays crisp instead of clumping. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the cucumbers will soften slightly. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a lighter swap, use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a tangier, lower-fat dressing.