Parmesan Pea Pasta Salad

Parmesan Pea Pasta Salad might be the easiest cold pasta salad recipe in the world!  Takes just 15 minutes to make and contains only 4 ingredients.  Easy, fast, simple, and perfect for any cookout or party.

Yes, my clean eating diet/lifestyle is still on, BUT it's always off whenever pasta is around...and ice cream...although that's another story for another day.  It's really so hard for me to say no to pasta.  I mean, I say no but it doesn't listen.  It just gets right up in my plate and begs me to eat it.  Ruuuuude!

Then there's the issue of how I feel like cheese needs to be involved whenever I eat pasta.  Seriously, if there's two food ingredients that are destined to be BFFs for life, it's pasta and cheese.  Doesn't matter if the pasta is cold or hot either, it needs to be with some cheese.  Forever and always.

A few weeks ago, the fine folks at Divella sent me a few varieties of dried pasta to taste and the one that stood out to me immediately was the bag of Mista.  Mista is all these cute little pasta pieces of different shapes and sizes mixed together and I just knew it was destined for a cold salad...with cheese.

Now, if you don't know about Divella pasta, you should.  It's the real deal.  Straight from Italy and they use only the best, all-natural ingredients.  Plus, they've been around for 125 years so they must know what they are doing.

How to make a cold pasta salad

Start with some great pasta, some fresh veggies, and a simple, yet flavorful dressing.  I began my easy pasta salad with the farm fresh peas I picked up today.  Fresh New England peas are the best thing you will ever pop in your month.  They are small, tender, and oh so sweet.  I try to use them in as many recipes as possible while they are in season because before you know it, POOF!...they are gone.  Carpe diem my friends 😉

Anywho, I played around with oil-based dressings but eventually settled on good ol' mayonnaise.  The creaminess of the mayo and the rich flavor of the Parmesan cheese pair well with the pasta and peas for a delicious cold pasta salad.  It's a match made in food heaven and one that I could sit down and eat enough for 10 people.  I have no self control when it comes to creamy pasta salad, but then again, who does??

Whether you're camping, at a BBQ cookout, or just need a simple and delicious side dish for a family dinner, reach for this Parmesan Pea Pasta Salad.  It's the perfect vegetarian pasta recipe too!

RECIPE

Parmesan Pea Pasta Salad

Parmesan Pea Pasta Salad might be the easiest cold pasta salad recipe in the world. Takes just 15 minutes to make and contains only 4 ingredients! Easy, fast, simple, and perfect for any cookout or party.

4.93 from 14 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 531kcal

Author: Karrie | Tasty Ever After

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound bite-size pasta
• ▢ 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
• ▢ 1 ½ cups good quality mayonnaise , homemade or store bought
• ▢ ⅔ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (use a good quality cheese and grate it fresh)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Boil pasta according to package directions using salted water and until the pasta is al dente. The last 5 minutes of the pasta's cooking time, throw in the green peas.  When finished cooking, drain and let cool.
• Place the cooled pasta and peas in a large bowl, add the mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese. Mix until thoroughly combined, cover, and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve

Nutrition Facts

Parmesan Pea Pasta Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 531 Calories from Fat 306

% Daily Value*

Fat 34g52%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Cholesterol 24mg8%

Sodium 397mg17%

Potassium 145mg4%

Carbohydrates 42g14%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 100IU2%

Calcium 108mg11%

Iron 0.9mg5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @tastyeverafter or tag #tastyeverafter