Cucumber Crunch Pasta Salad (Printer-friendly)

Tender shells, crisp cucumber, and aromatic dill in a creamy dressing with everything bagel seasoning

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 8 oz small shell pasta
02 - 1 tsp salt for pasta water

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 cups cucumber, diced (about 1 large English cucumber)
04 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Fresh Herbs

05 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped

→ Dressing

06 - ½ cup sour cream
07 - ¼ cup mayonnaise
08 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1 clove garlic, minced
11 - ½ tsp salt
12 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper

→ Seasoning

13 - 1½ tbsp everything bagel seasoning

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add small shell pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
03 - Add the cooled pasta, diced cucumber, sliced green onions, and chopped fresh dill to the bowl with the dressing. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Sprinkle the everything bagel seasoning over the salad. Fold gently to distribute the seasoning throughout the mixture.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The creamy tangy dressing clings perfectly to every shell while the cucumbers stay impossibly crisp
  • Everything bagel seasoning transforms ordinary pasta salad into something people cannot stop eating
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta with cold water stops the cooking immediately and prevents it from turning into a gummy mess
  • The pasta absorbs some of the dressing as it chills so you might want to add a splash more before serving if it seems dry
03 -
  • Double the dressing recipe if you are planning to let it sit for more than a day because the pasta will soak up more than you expect
  • Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream if you want to lighten it up without losing that tangy creaminess
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