Pasta Salad without Mayo

This Pasta Salad without Mayo is creamy and refreshing thanks to Greek yogurt and cucumber. It makes a perfect and satisfying summer lunch that is ready within minutes.

This pasta salad no mayo recipe is the fourth recipe of our No-Mayo Salad Recipe Series we started a couple of weeks ago. If you are interested in summer lunch ideas that are light yet satisfying and tasty, you should go back to the first recipes of the series and see our tuna salad without mayo, no mayo chicken salad and healthy Greek yogurt coleslaw. Stay tuned for more salad recipes that you can make without mayonnaise!

We often serve this yogurt pasta salad with several other salads at summer gatherings. Some of them are eggplant salad, white bean salad and bulgur salad. These are all great for summer picnics or potluck parties.

Why No Mayo Mac Salad?

I must accept that I was inspired by my 4-year-old son when creating this recipe. All kids LOVE pasta, right? They have their own taste and preference when eating it though. My son loves his pasta plain, with no sauce added. I’m not like him, I do like my pasta with lots of cheese and my favorite pasta recipe is Creamy Caprese Pasta. He even gives me the instructions on how to cook and serve his pasta. “Just boil it, add in butter and put it on my plate” he says. Although he doesn’t want any sauce on his pasta, he loves to pair it with Turkish Cacik, which is a yogurt and cucumber dip just like Greek tzatziki. I serve it in a small bowl and he always ends up with transferring it on his pasta. No sauce, yes cacik! Lol!

After seeing his way of eating pasta, I decided to combine the two and serve it cold for lunch. It wasn’t surprising that Gokturk LOVED this pasta salad without mayo and asked me to make it again for the next day.

Ingredients

The recipe has 7 simple ingredients that most of you already have in your kitchen. Besides pasta of your choice, you need:

• cucumber
• regular yogurt or thick yogurt
• garlic
• salt
• fresh mint
• olive oil

Well, it is even possible to limit these ingredients to 4. I mean; garlic, fresh mint and olive oil could be optional. Your cold pasta salad still tastes so good! Crunchy cucumbers go very well with creamy pasta and nothing else is needed. On the other hand, if you are like me and love enriching recipes, then go ahead, use all the ingredients here.

How To Make

The recipe for this cold pasta salad has five super easy steps.

First, cook pasta using the instructions on the package. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop its cooking. Transfer it in a bowl.

Second, top the cooked and cooled pasta with diced cucumber.

Third, prepare the yogurt dressing. In a medium bowl; mix yogurt, mashed garlic and salt. Pour it over the pasta and cucumbers.

Fourth, chop whatever herb you like and add it into the bowl. We use fresh mint.

Finally, drizzle olive oil and stir well to combine. Serve it cold.

What Else Can I Add?

Cucumber and onion go really well together. So I think finely diced onion would be a good option.

Love tangy green apples? Dice one in the same size as cucumber and toss.

Also, if you love a nutty flavor in your salads, add walnuts or almonds too.

Pasta salads are staple in summer and we need to know the best ways to make a good cold pasta salad that can be taken to work or parties. I’ve made this salad several times and it’s always a hit.

Notes

• As there is no mayonnaise in this salad, you can put it in a container and take it to picnic or potluck parties during summer. You know, mayonnaise might easily spoil when it’s too hot and Greek yogurt is a wonderful substitute.
• This is such an easy recipe that even a person who has never cooked anything can easily make it. Cook pasta, set aside. Combine it with diced cucumber, yogurt, fresh mint and olive oil.
• I love the subtle flavor of garlic in this salad, so one clove of garlic is just enough. Add it mashed into yogurt, mix and then pour it on the pasta.
• If you want to make your pasta salad even healthier and more satisfying, you can use whole wheat pasta and add some feta cheese in it.
• If you still want the taste of mayonnaise in your salad, go ahead and make our pasta salad with yogurt and mayo.

More Pasta Recipes

• How To Make Pasta Without Machine
• Creamy Oyster Mushroom Pasta
• Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
• Pasta with Feta
• Creamy Tomato Sauce Pasta
• Parmesan Pasta

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