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Ruby Tuesday Pasta Salad (Copycat)

Ruby Tuesday pasta salad copycat-style with sweet-tangy creamy dressing and crisp broccoli and cauliflower. Rotini pasta, bacon, and red onion are tossed until coated, then chilled so the flavors meld.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chill 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 490
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 and aromatics
  • 6 slice bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 0.5 cup red onion diced
Sweet-tangy creamy 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 black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook tri-color rotini pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool quickly, then drain well.
Blanch vegetables
  1. In boiling water, blanch broccoli florets and cauliflower florets for 2 minutes. Plunge into ice water, then drain thoroughly so they stay bright and crisp.
Make dressing
  1. In a bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sugar, red wine vinegar, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper until smooth and evenly combined. Taste and adjust salt/pepper if needed.
Assemble and chill
  1. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, cooked crumbled bacon, and diced red onion. Toss gently so the mix is evenly distributed.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until every bite looks lightly coated. If it seems dry, toss a little longer to ensure coverage.
  3. Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 2 hours before serving. This resting time helps the sweet-tangy dressing cling to the pasta.

Notes

For the best texture, cool the pasta and vegetables completely before mixing so the dressing doesn’t turn runny. Refrigerate covered for 3–4 days; it’s best not to freeze because the mayonnaise-based dressing can separate. For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise with a 1:1 Greek yogurt–mayonnaise blend to keep it creamy.