Spinach Dip Pasta Salad
Spinach dip pasta salad turns the yumminess of spinach artichoke dip into a full fledged summer side dish you’ll love. With all the creamy goodness of the classic appetizer, your friends and family will beg you to make this for every barbecue, potluck and picnic!
We are huge fans of pasta salad in this house.
And I particularly love this one!
It’s packed full of all the same flavors that creamy spinach dip has and it gets my meat eating boys to eat some extra veggies.
I’m calling that a major mom win since in this house, there may have been times when I’ve counted ketchup as a vegetable.
Desperate times, right?
With this refreshing spin on pasta salad, you won’t have to count ketchup as a vegetable!
My boys gladly gobble this up and everyone I serve it to adores it.
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Pasta– Penne pasta or any other shorter noodle like rotini would work. Cook it according to package directions and let it cool.
- Spinach– Baby spinach has a better texture here. You want a full 10 ounces of it. It might seem like a lot but it will cook down.
- Sour cream– Full fat sour cream has the best flavor.
- Mayonnaise– Use real mayo not mayonnaise style dressing or low fat mayo.
- Artichoke hearts– These are optional. I like the canned or jarred ones, diced. Make sure to drain them.
- Spices– Garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley and salt and pepper.
How to Make
To make this veggie packed pasta salad, start by cooking the pasta according to the directions on the package, draining it and running it under cold water.
Once the pasta is ready, sauté the spinach in a nonstick pan, stirring occasionally.
When the the spinach has cooked, remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool completely.
Then, stir all of the ingredients, except the pasta, together in a large mixing bowl.
Once the spinach dip is well combined, stir the pasta into the mixture.
Cover and chill at least four hours, or up to overnight, before serving.
Enjoy!
Storing
Store this recipe in a covered bowl or container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I make this pasta salad ahead of time?
Yes! This recipe is the perfect make ahead side dish.
I like to make it the night before I plan to serve it.
Can I Use Frozen Spinach Instead Of Fresh?
While I highly recommend using fresh spinach in this recipe, you can substitute the frozen variety if need be.
If using frozen spinach, make sure to thaw it completely. Then press the spinach firmly between several layers of paper towels to remove all excess moisture.
Pull/flake it apart, and then include it in the recipe as instructed.
Tips and Tricks
- Cook the spinach just until wilted BUT NOT MUSHY.
- Let the spinach and the pasta cool completely prior to mixing this salad together.
- For added flavor, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese would be amazing in this pasta salad.
Other Vegetarian Pasta Salad Recipes You’ll Love
This spinach dip pasta salad is a hit at any barbecue, potluck or picnic! Make it for your next cookout and enjoy!
Looking for other vegetarian pasta salad recipes? Try these:
- Aunt Gert’s Sweet Macaroni Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- Summertime Tortellini & Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Three Bean Pasta Salad
- Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
If you’ve tried this SPINACH DIP PASTA SALAD or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Spinach Dip Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta cooked & cooled
- 10 oz fresh baby spinach
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 cup artichoke hearts diced (optional)
Instructions
- Sautee the spinach in a non stick pan, stirring occasionally, just until wilted BUT NOT MUSHY. Remove the skillet from heat, and let the spinach cool completely.
- Add all of the ingredients, except the pasta, to a large mixing bowl, and give them a stir until evenly combined.
- Add the pasta to the spinach dip mixture, and stir again to evenly combine.
- Cover and chill at least four hours, or up to overnight, before serving.
Notes
- Cook the spinach just until wilted BUT NOT MUSHY.
- Let the spinach and the pasta cool completely prior to mixing this salad together.
- For added flavor, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese would be amazing in this pasta salad.
Nutrition
recipe adapted from Wonky Wonderful
