I want to make some sort of pasta salad for DD's bday party. What's your go-to recipe? I'm looking for something different than the standard mayo/mustard version. FWIW, I will probably be doing shredded BBQ chicken (ETA: for sandwiches) as the "main" dish. TIA!
Re: NBR: Give me your pasta salad recipes!
My go-to is a vinaigrette based pasta salad. I do pasta + cheese + veggies + vinaigrette, and add meat if I want it to be a little heartier. I like zesty italian packet dressing that you make with oil and vinegar, but I've also done it myself with white wine vinegar/olive oil/seasonings.
My favorite veggies are halved grape tomatos, cucumbers, zucchinni, but really just about any veggie you'd eat in a salad is good!
Especially for a party I try to do some kind of fun pasta like the tri color, or farfalle (bowties), or something prettier than macaroni.
Penne, Mini Mozz Balls and Tomatoes tossed with Olive Oil and Balsamic, add some salt and pepper and some fresh basil.
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Yum! Good call on the fun pasta, thanks!
Ooohh, I love anything balsamic! I've made something like this before, thanks for reminding me! Defnitely a good option.
oooh yum! i'll have to try that next time!
I'm not even sure you would call this pasta salad, but I'll come up with any excuse to make sesame noodles. They're soo good!
My all time favorite pasta salad recipe:
1/2 c olive oil
1/2c red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp sugar
8 oz pasta (I do the garden rotini)
3 c mushroom
15 cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 C red bell pepper
3/4 c feta cheese (crumbled)
1/2 C green onion (I omit b/c I'm allergic)
3 1/2 oz black olives
3/4 c pepperoni slices
Mix together oil, vinegar, and spices. Add remaining ingredients and toss until all ingredients are well coated. Cover and chill 2 hours or overnight.
It is YUMMY.
I like the Suddenly Salad. It comes in a box and there are a few different flavors. I like this one and pretty much add in the same stuff! It's soooo yummy!
https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/quick-antipasto-pasta-salad/6cf0c2f7-405c-463e-a66a-d4eb62106822
Rotini pasta
halved grape tomatoes
diced, peeled cukes
black olives
feta
Greek dressing
Optional items would be: green pepper, diced up pepperoni, anything else you think sounds good.
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I like ranch and bacon pasta salad. I make 1 lb of any fun pasta. Add half mayo and half greek yogurt (I just eyeball it) and add one package of powdered ranch dressing mix, half a bag of thawed, frozen peas, and some shredded carrots. You can add any type of bacon you'd like, but for convenience, I usually add store bought cooked bacon bits (real, not Bacos). This tastes like some of the suddenly salad kits that you can buy, but is cheaper, healthier, and has way less sodium and fat.
I also make caesar pasta salad. I use tortellini, sliced black olives, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers and toss with 1/2 caesar salad dressing, 1/2 greek yogurt. This is always a big hit, but is costly to make, so not sure it will work.
My family requests that I make mine for every family gathering...even though I have told them a million times how to do it themselves! I even made it on the mroning of my wedding while getting my hair and make up done!
Rainbow Rotini
Sharp Cheddar Cubed
Pepperoni ( I use the light version)
Sliced Pepperonis
Sliced Black Olives
Artichoke hearts, bell peppers and mushrooms if I can slip them past the veggie haters.
Then I toss it all in Bernsteins Cheese Fantastico Dressing.
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Buitoni cheese tortellini, green peppers, red peppers, banana peppers, feta, black or kalamata olives, Greek dressing. Boil tortellinis. Mix together. Try to stop eating! Sometimes we add pepperoni or chunks of ham. :-)
I do something similar... basically this recipe https://allrecipes.com/recipe/greek-pasta-salad-iii/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=greek%20pasta%20salad&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page
But I add cut up roasted asparagus, kalamata olives, and sometimes diced chicken.
Pasta
Pepperoni
Tomato
Cheddar cheese
Green olives
Mayo and relish (cuts out the sweetness of the mayo...so good!)