There’s a local deli I love where every sandwich comes with a tiny side of one of their homemade salads. I’m talking just a couple of bites, but I always choose their bowtie pasta salad with artichokes. It’s so simple, and I’ve always wanted to take the same concept and make it at home.
This Creamy Artichoke Pasta Salad is intentionally simple. It’s not loaded with a million different veggies and add-ins, and that’s exactly the point. The dressing is super creamy, garlicky, and tangy, with plenty of Parmesan cheese and marinated artichoke hearts that really get to be the star of the show.
I designed this recipe to be the perfect little side salad. Pair it with your favorite sandwich, serve it alongside dinner, or add some grilled chicken on top for an easy lunch. It’s creamy, flavorful, and proof that sometimes the simplest combinations are the best!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Bowtie Pasta
- Marinated Artichoke Hearts: You’ll want the kind that comes in a jar – it’s packed in a oil-vinegar brine and we’ll use that part in the recipe, too.
- Parmesan Cheese: I highly recommend grating your own. You’ll get better flavor and texture that pre-shredded.
- Fresh Parsley
- Mayonnaise
- Sour Cream
- Fresh lemon juice
- Garlic
- Shallot
- Spicy Brown or Dijon Mustard
- Salt and Black Pepper
How to Make Creamy Artichoke Pasta Salad
This is a quick overview, full recipe below!
- The first thing you’ll do is drain your marinated artichokes, but keep the brine! It’s oil, vinegar, and seasonings, and we’re going to use some of it in the recipe.
- After you boil your pasta, you’ll toss the warm noodles with a bit of the brine. This helps absorb flavor and also keeps the noodles from sticking to each other.
- While the pasta is cooling you’ll mix up the tangy, garlicky dressing.
- When it’s ready to toss together, add in your artichoke hearts, fresh parmesan cheese, parsley, and dressing.
- It’s best if it can chill for a bit, so I reserve a little dressing to toss on at the very end right before serving to make sure it’s nice and creamy!
Storing and Other Tips
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Add ins: I don’t think you need them, but if you’re dying to add something in here, I think some drained, chopped sun-dried tomatoes would be good!
- Make it a Meal: For a one-dish dinner, I’d pair this with some simple grilled chicken!
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely. I specifically call for reserving some of the dressing so you’ll have a little extra to make it nice and creamy before serving. You can for sure make it hours ahead of time, and honestly it’s also really great the next day.
Bowtie is my favorite, but you could also do shells, orecchiette, or even rotini. I like shorter varieties of pasta that not only hold some creamy sauce but pair nicely with the size of chopped artichoke.
This creamy pasta salad is perfect alongside sandwiches, burgers, or grilled chicken. You can also top it with sliced grilled chicken for an easy lunch or light dinner.
Creamy Artichoke Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 8 oz dry bowtie pasta (farfalle)
- 12 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts marinade reserved
- 2 tablespoons reserved brine from artichokes
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon reserved artichoke marinade
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 medium cloves garlic, grated with a microplane about 1 teaspoon
- 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
- ½ teaspoon spicy brown mustard or dijon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until tender.
- Prepare dressing. Drain artichoke hearts but reserve brine. Roughly chop artichokes and set aside. While pasta cooks, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, 1 tablespoons reserved artichoke marinade, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, mustard, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Season pasta. Drain cooked pasta well, but do not rinse. While still hot, toss with 2 tablespoons reserved artichoke marinade. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Assemble Salad: Add chopped artichokes, Parmesan cheese, and parsley to cooled pasta. Pour approximately ¼ cup of the dressing into a separate container and reserve for later. Add the remaining dressing to pasta salad and toss evenly to coat.
- Chill and Serve: Cover and refrigerate pasta salad for at least 1-2 hours to allow flavors to develop. Just before serving, stir in as much of reserved dressing as you like (you may not need all of it at once) into the chilled salad. Taste and adjust salt or lemon juice if needed. Serve chilled.
