This creamy smoked beef pasta salad is a new side dish creation made just for my son-in-law. He was my recipe tester and the rest of the family thinks it is a good salad to add to our recipe box.
*Post contains affiliate links* for more information please read the disclaimer on the About Us page.
Recipe Creation
My son-in-law loves bacon and pepper jack cheese. He is always a willing eater of one of my pasta salads. My daughter wants him to eat more vegetables. The challenge was on.
Recently, I purchased a five pound package of thin sliced smoked beef from a smokehouse that we are lucky to live just twenty minutes away. I used a bit for another recipe that is still waiting to be written up for you. it was so good! Two pounds were used in this recipe. I froze the rest for another day.
Anyway, this smoked beef became the inspiration for this recipe.
Smoking meat adds flavor and it keeps the meat nice and tender. Further, it aids in preserving meat for the long haul. This beef has a slightly smoky flavor, tastes a bit like bacon, but has that rich beef flavor. Additionally, the thin sliced beef is very tender.
The smoked beef that I am lucky to get is also sliced thin. which makes it perfect for pasta, sandwiches, salads, or just about anything we can think to add it.
We Love Our Cheese
We love to have cheese in our pasta. At our house, we eat our share of cheese. We were dairy farmers for many years until we sold the cows back in 2010. Therefore, we try and do our part to support the farms that are still operating.
I always try and have some pepper jack cheese on hand for my son-in-law. It has a little bit of heat to the cheese and this will add a nice surprise once in a while when eating the pasta. This had to be one of the cheese options in the salad.
When I taste the beef, it seemed like it would make a great combination paired with Swiss cheese.
Last item that had to be in the pasta salad was a vegetable or two. My daughter works hard to remind her husband to eat healthy and she sneaks it in whenever she can. Therefore, cauliflower seemed the perfect addition as it doesn’t add as much flavor as it does a delightful crunch. Lastly, sweet green peas give a little sweetness to the entire dish.
Oh my! When everything comes together in a new recipe, it is a wonderful thing.
Cold Pasta Salad
While this is a side dish of a cold pasta salad, it really could be a meal in itself.
Beef Options for Recipe
You may not have a smokehouse close by like I do. There are some wonderful options to use for the beef. I assume that your local deli will have thinly sliced, fully cooked beef sandwich meat. At the local grocer, there are also those dried beef packages of meat for making sandwiches.
For food safety, make sure that the beef is fully cooked. Keep this salad in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Creamy Smoked Beef Pasta Salad
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
Beef Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 16 Oz. Gemelli Pasta Cooked, drained, rinsed, and cooled
- 1 head Cauliflower Clean and diced into small florets
- 13 Oz. Peas Can be fresh or frozen (thaw first)
- 7 Oz. Baby Swiss Cheese diced
- 8 Oz. Pepper Jack Cheese diced
- 2 Lbs. Smoked Beef diced
Salad Dressing
- 3 Cups Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
- 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Milk
- 3 Tbl. Rice Vinegar
Instructions
Beef Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Cook the Gemelli pasta according to directions. Drain, rinse, and let cool. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the thawed peas, diced cheeses, diced cauliflower, and diced beef.
Salad Dressing
- In mixing bowl, add the Miracle Whip, sugar, milk, and rice vinegar.
- Pour the salad dressing over the ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
- Refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!
Your Own Private Notes
Nutrition
A few of my favorite things
The Power of Positivity
If you loved this post, please share. It helps to show me that these types of posts are helpful – thank you!
I hope that you liked this recipe. If you are looking for more ideas on what to make, here are a few other recipes that you may enjoy.
You can find Victoria crocheting, quilting, and creating recipes. She has cooked in restaurants for over 20 years, including many larger parties. She learned to crochet when she was just 11 years old and has been crocheting ever since; over 50 years now. Over 40 years ago, she loved her first class in sewing and continues to hone her skills in quilting. Many have enjoyed the handmade gifts over the years. In her professional career, she has worked in management in a wide variety of businesses including higher education as a dean of a division. All the while attending college part-time to achieve her doctorate in higher education with an emphasis in e-learning.