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Ruby Tuesday Pasta Salad

Ruby Tuesday copycat creamy pasta salad with broccoli, cauliflower, and bacon tossed in a sweet-tangy dressing. Tri-color rotini stays tender but holds shape, while the chilled salad tastes like the restaurant-style classic.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Tri-color rotini pasta
  • 1 lb tri-color rotini pasta
Broccoli and cauliflower
  • 2 cup broccoli florets blanched
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets blanched
Bacon
  • 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
Onion
  • 0.5 cup red onion diced
Sweet-tangy dressing
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta and vegetables
  1. Cook tri-color rotini pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
  2. Blanch broccoli florets and cauliflower florets in boiling water for 2 minutes, then plunge into ice water and drain until fully chilled.
Make the sweet-tangy dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, sugar, red wine vinegar, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth and evenly combined.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine pasta, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, bacon, and red onion in a large bowl.
  2. Pour dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
  3. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours before serving so the flavors meld.

Notes

For the best texture, rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water and fully drain the blanched vegetables before tossing—excess water can thin the dressing. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze is not recommended for creamy pasta salad. If you want a lighter option, use light mayonnaise (or Greek-yogurt-based mayo) to reduce calories while keeping the classic sweet-tangy profile.