You Can Still Make Creamy Pasta Salad Without Ever Reaching For Mayo

A delicious homemade pasta salad does not have to rely on mayo — there are plenty of delicious alternatives that deliver the same satisfying texture. To find out the best swaps, Daily Meal spoke with Dan Pelosi, the Instagram favorite for all things comfort and food, who knows his way around a great pasta salad. Pelosi shared his go-to alternatives for achieving a creamy consistency for pasta salad dressing, sans mayo. 

Pelosi has partnered with McCain Foods to promote regenerative farming, whipping up a delicious fry dipping sauce to serve at events where McCain is serving regeneratively farmed fries. He is a foodie who is passionate about using simple, tasty ingredients that work for a variety of diets. Whether you are avoiding mayo for dietary reasons or just not a regular mayo fan, Pelosi has some easy and flavorful solutions to keep your pasta salad rich, creamy, and satisfying.

Dan Pelosi suggests Greek yogurt for those looking for a simple and healthier alternative when crafting creamy pasta salad. "I would definitely say yogurt is a great one. I've done dressings that have yogurt instead of mayo," he shared. Greek yogurt offers a tangy flavor and thick consistency that closely mimics mayo.

"If you use Greek yogurt as a mayo swap, you just want to thin it with a little water, a little lemon juice or something just so that it's like you don't have an extremely clumped together salad." A little thinning helps keep the dressing smooth and coats the pasta evenly. One of these 14 Daily Meal picks for the best Greek yogurt brands is sure to work well in your recipe; just be sure to know how long it's good for if you use an open container you already have in the refrigerator.

For those who want a plant-based option, Pelosi recommends giving vegan mayo a try. "As far as vegan, vegan mayo has come a long way," He noted. There are a lot of vegan mayo choices available, making it easy to find one that works for you. One of these 13 best Daily Meal-suggested vegan mayo brands will surely give you the creaminess you desire in a pasta salad.