What are some good pasta salad recipes?!
What are some good pasta salad recipes?
I love cold pasta salad, and have been searching for a specific recipe. I am hoping that by asking this question here, the recipe I am looking for will pop up!
The pasta salad I am searching for is very refreshing, but slightly spicy. I used to eat it at a restaurant that is now out of business.
Answers:
Spicy Pasta Salad
INGREDIENTS
* 1 pound penne pasta
* 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 green onions, chopped
* 1/2 (6 ounce) can black olives, chopped
* 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, softened in water and sliced
* 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
* 1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian-style salad dressing
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain.
2. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, beans, green onions, olives, sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese. Add enough salad dressing to coat; toss and chill before serving.
Source(s):
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-pasta...
pasta (my favorite is garden rotini).
chopped pepperoni, peppers (green and or red, yellow, etc.), onions (green, spanish, vidalia or red). you can really add cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, etc. if you wish.
toss with Italian dressing, spicy or not.
season with pepper and/or cayenne (salt if you really need it for your tastes).
toss before serving.
exceptionally easy and REALLY tasty!
Vegetable Pasta Salad [4 servings]
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 pound rotini pasta
8 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake chicken breast halves in a preheated oven until the juices run clear. About 30 minutes if thawed, 45 minutes if frozen.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rotini pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
4 minutes before the pasta is ready, add frozen vegetables. When pasta is cooked, remove pasta and vegetables from heat, drain. Cut chicken into small cubes and add to the pasta-vegetable mix. Season with olive oil, pepper, salt.
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Chinese Cold Pasta Salad
8 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Rinse and drain. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, broth, soy sauce, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Mix well. Add pasta, sliced red pepper, scallions, and cilantro; toss to combine. Chill.
Here are my 2 special recipes:
Makarna salatasi:
- 500 g boiled Pasta (i prefers mussel shaped pasta http://evcini.typepad.com/photos/uncateg... but you may use any kind)
- 1 glass of boiled peas
- 1 glass of boiled carrot (cubic chopped)
- 1 glass of boiled sweet corn
- 1 glass of boiled Sausage (cubic chopped)
- 1 glass of boiled Pickles (cubic chopped)
- 500 g yogurt
- 500 g mayonaisse
- Fresh dill leaves (refreshing)
- Garlic (optional)
Mix yogurt with garlic and mayo. Add remainings.
Kuskus Salatasi:
- 500 g kuskus (Acini di Pepe in the pasta aisle http://www.turkishcookbook.com/images/ku...
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- 4-5 pcs grilled red pepper (chooped cubic)
- 1 glass of boiled sweetcorn
- 1 glass of pickels (chopped cubic)
- juice of 1 lemon
- extra virgin olive oil
Mix pasta, pepper, pickles and corn. Add olive oil and lemon juice.
Afiyet olsun:) (Bon apetite in Turkish)
This one is almost too easy.
1 bag frozen tortellini... Cooked to directions.
Italian dressing,
1 small jar roasted red peppers ( or roast one yourself)
1 small can sliced black olives
grated parmasan cheese (as much as you like)
Toss together and eat!
Quick and Easy Chicken Pasta Salad:
25 min 25 min prep
6 servings
1 head broccoli, chopped and steamed until crisp tender
salt
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 lb pasta shells, cooked and drained
2 large tomatoes, cubed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 cup Italian dressing (more if needed)
1. Place well drained broccoli in a large mixing bowl.
2. Sprinkle with salt to season.
3. Add chicken, pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to taste; stir to combine.
4. Pour dressing over the salad; stir gently to mix.
5. Cover and chill 1 hour before serving.
6. I serve the salad on a bed of lettuce.
quick, easy and spicy pasta salad......put in whatever you want (you can remember the veges in the one you liked). The best thing to do is put Wishbone Italian Dressing on your pasta salad after mixing the Wishbone Italian Dressing with a bit of a package of dry Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix. Just sprinkle some of the Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix into the Wishbone Italian Dressing, add a dab of sugar to bring out the flavor and take a bit of the edge off of the vinegary taste and you will love this for the spiciness and the terrific flavor that you cannot get except from these two dressings. Good luck and enjoy!
look on www.foodnetwork.com they have good recipes
try this site..........
Five Steps to Perfect Pasta Salad
Step 1:
Cook 1 pound of pasta. Select a 16-ounce box or bag of bite-size pasta. I recommend farfalle (bow ties), fusilli (corkscrews), penne, ziti, rotelle (wagon wheels), macaroni or small shells. Cook the pasta in a gallon of boiling water seasoned with 2 tablespoons of salt (that's right, 2 tablespoons!) until just tender. Drain but do not rinse the pasta. Instead, dump it onto a large-lipped cookie sheet to cool and dry. Don't worry if the pasta sticks together. The dressing will break it up.
Step 2:
Prepare 2 pounds of key ingredients. These are the salad's major add-ins: cooked and raw vegetables, poultry, seafood, canned beans and mild cheeses, for example. Some need little or no preparation before going into the salad. Others can be cooked in the pot of water along with the pasta. Still others are best sauteed or grilled. Choose at least 3 major flavorings. It's good to let one ingredient lead (for example, 1 pound of asparagus with 8 ounces each of sliced mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, for a total of 2 pounds).
Options for cooked vegetables
These can cook right along with the pasta in the pot of boiling water. Add them to the cooking pasta during the last minute of boiling. Drain and cool them with the pasta for that just-right, tender-crisp texture.
Broccoli or cauliflower, florets cut into bite-size pieces, stems peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick coins
Asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite-size lengths
Carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch coins
Green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size lengths
Snow peas or sugar snap peas, strings removed
Zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch thick
Options for no-fuss vegetables
Canned artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and quartered
Bean sprouts
Celery, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Mushrooms, thinly sliced
Cucumbers, quartered lengthwise, cut into bite-size pieces and lightly salted
Fennel, trimmed, halved, cored and thinly sliced
Avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces (add at last minute to prevent darkening)
Zucchini, halved lengthwise if small, quartered lengthwise if large, then thinly sliced
Cherry tomatoes, halved and lightly salted
Bell peppers, cored and cut into bite-size strips
Tomatoes, seeded and cut into medium dice and lightly salted
Frozen green peas, thawed
Options for grilled or broiled vegetables
All of these vegetables should be brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper before grilling or broiling.
Eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds; cut into bite-size pieces after grilling
Fennel, trimmed, halved, core left intact, and cut into wedges; cut away tough core after grilling
Large whole mushrooms; slice or quarter after grilling
Bell peppers, cored, seeded and quartered; cut into bite-size pieces after grilling
Zucchini, cut on the diagonal into slices 1/2-inch thick
Options for sauteed vegetables
Asian-style salads taste best with lightly sauteed vegetables, particularly celery and peppers.
Celery, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into bite-size strips
Options for other major add-ins
Canned beans, drained and rinsed
Chicken breasts, grilled, sauteed or steamed and cut crosswise into thin bite-size strips
Italian sausage, steam-sauteed and sliced thin on a slight bias
Cooked lobster
Cooked and peeled shrimp
Canned tuna, drained
Mild cheeses (e.g., mozzarella, cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Crabmeat (pasteurized lump), picked over for shell
Ham, sliced 1/4-inch thick and cut into bite-size strips
Step 3:
Choose intense flavors. Stronger- tasting than the major add-ins, these ingredients should be used more sparingly. Pick at least one representative from this category, but feel free to use two or three--roasted peppers, pine nuts and feta cheese, for example, will give the salad a Mediterranean feel. If making an Asian-style salad, stick to nuts and seeds.
Options
In most cases, add about 1/2 cup, unless otherwise noted.
Feta, crumbled
Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler
Goat cheese, crumbled
Capers, drained (1/4 cup)
Olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
Peperoncini, drained and thinly sliced
Roasted peppers, cut into strips
Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, cut into small dice
Bacon, fried and crumbled (8 ounces)
Prosciutto (8 ounces), thinly sliced, cut into small dice
Smoked salmon (8 ounces), thinly sliced, then cut into thin strips (other smoked fish and shellfish are possibilities as well)
Pine nuts, toasted
Roasted cashews, coarsely chopped
Roasted or honey-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Toasted sesame seeds (1/4 cup)
Sunflower seeds
Step 4:
Add onions and herbs. No matter what else is in your pasta salad, always add three large green onions, sliced, or half of a small red onion, diced. The types of onions are completely interchangeable, although I tend to use green onions for Asian-style salads.
Then mince 3 tablespoons fresh herbs and/or grate 2 teaspoons orange or lemon zest (the peel minus the bitter white pith).
For Asian-style pasta salads, consider cilantro, basil and/or the citrus zests. Dill and mint are usually compatible with creamy-style salads. Because rosemary and tarragon are such strong flavors, use just 1 tablespoon of either herb combined with 2 tablespoons of minced parsley.
And if you're ever in doubt about which herbs to use, you'll never go wrong with good ol' chopped fresh parsley.
Step 5:
Make a dressing. Whether you prepare one of the following dressings or choose another, you'll need 1 cup to coat the salad. The key is to make sure the dressing is thick and emulsified; otherwise, the pasta absorbs the vinegar while the oil clings in droplets to the pasta's surface. Stick with milder rice wine vinegar or lemon juice. Balsamic vinegar, while flavorful, turns the pasta an unattractive brown, and stronger vinegars make bright green vegetables drab.
Each of these recipes makes about 1 cup. You can prepare the ingredients in advance, but toss the salad and dressing only 15 minutes before serving.
Pasta salads can be made with creamy dressings or fresh vinaigrettes, i like mine with fresh vegetables( onions, cherry tomatoes, peppers, cucumber), olives, some cubed mozzarella cheese with some Balsamic vinegar.
very simple : tri colored pasta , chopped black olives , italian dressing and parmasen cheese grated .
ANTIPASTO PASTA SALAD
1 pound seashell pasta
1/4 pound Genoa salami, chopped
1/4 pound pepperoni sausage, chopped
1/2 pound Asiago cheese, diced
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, and cool under cold water.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, salami, pepperoni, Asiago cheese, black olives, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and tomatoes. Stir in the envelope of dressing mix. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Just before serving, pour dressing over the salad, and mix well.
12 servings
PREP TIME 20 Min
COOK TIME 15 Min
READY IN 1 Hr 35 Min
AMERICAN-ITALIAN PASTA SALAD
1 (16 ounce) package fusilli pasta
1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
2 (2 ounce) cans sliced black olives
1 cup cubed Genoa salami
3/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain.
In a medium bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, milk and Italian dressing mix. Whisk together until smooth, set aside.
In a large salad bowl combine cooked and cooled pasta, peas, olives, salami, green onions, celery and parsley. Mix in dressing last, reserving 1/2 cup. Let sit over night in fridge. Stir before serving. Add extra dressing if pasta appears dry.
20 servings
PREP TIME 30 Min
COOK TIME 10 Min
READY IN 8 Hrs 40 Min
SPICEY PASTA SALAD
1 pound penne pasta
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 (6 ounce) can black olives, chopped
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, softened in water and sliced
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian-style salad dressing
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, beans, green onions, olives, sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese. Add enough salad dressing to coat; toss and chill before serving.
8 servings
PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 15 Min
READY IN 25 Min
TORTELLINI PASTA SALAD
27 ounces tri-colored cheese-filled tortellini
1 (2 pound) package mixed vegetables
1 pound snow peas
1/4 cup corn oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, oil and salad dressing mix; toss together. Add vegetables and cheese; mix well, cover and refrigerate over night.
8 to 12 servings
PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 15 Min
READY IN 13 Hrs 45 Min
This is how I make my pasta salads...
I like to use the round small tube-like pasta...i think its called salad macaroni or something. Then, I dice up baby carrots and celery, mix in some small broccoli florets, throw in a few spoonfuls of light mayo & squirt in a lil bit of mustard, a chopped serrano pepper or vinegar cured jalapeno pepper (with the seeds), salt & pepper to taste. Mix it up and there you have it. Its good, fresh, and a tad bit spicy!
It complements grilled meats very well.
i make one with some ranch dressing it is great i made it up don't have a recipe i just boil my macaroni and when its done i rinse it with cold water and add ranch dressing and shredded cheddar cheese some sour cream chopped tomatoes and celery and onion bell pepper