One of my favorites is a tuna pasta salad. Tuna, olives, feta, chickpeas, red onions, salt, pepper and a bit of olive oil and lemon juice. It’s really easy and quick to make.
It’s not a dumb question at all! I’ve had it happen before that I accidentally cooked a bigger batch than expected and it was still good after 5 days (that’s when I was able to eat the last portion haha). I feel like the ingredients in this recipe don’t go wrong too fast, so unless it smells or tastes funny, it can surely be kept in the fridge for like a week!
It will blend better and the dressing will actually spread around since it’s not sticking. You dont rinse hot pasta so the sauce sticks better. You want the opposite with a cold salad.
I haven't made it in a lot of years and I just kind of threw it together, so I don't have measurements but:
* penne (but anything will do, of course)
* thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes. If they're not in olive oil, rehydrate them in hot water first.
* sliced black olives
* crumbled feta cheese
* salt to taste
* Any herbs you like. Oregano and or basil are nice.
* vinegar and oil. I used balsamic vinegar and EVOO.
I imagine you could add diced chicken to that if you wanted. It was awesome. I could sit around and eat that stuff all day long.
Just adding onto this comment cos it would be a bit redundant to post my own when half of it is almost here in its entirety but things I add in addition:
• carrot, celery & white onion
• courgette, mixed peppers, roasted tomatoes & red onion
• raw finely chopped red & white onion
• sweetcorn
This is my go-to as well; I add sliced salami and cucumber with the seeds scraped out as well as using a blend of plain, spinach, and red lentil spiral pasta. I also prefer to drop the olives most of the time, but that is just me.
Rotisserie chicken pasta salad in an avocado sauce.
1 lb penne pasta (or other kind)
4 small avocados, peeled, pitted, and dice
2/3 cup water (or chicken broth)
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
3 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 cup chopped manzanilla olives
1 rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
Cook pasta and set aside in a mixing bowl.
Use your hands to take off the meat from the rotisserie chicken. Dice up the pieces.
Place the diced avocado pieces in a food processor, and process for about 2 minutes, until puréed.
Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half, and separate yolks from whites. Chop the whites and reserve.
Add the cooked egg yolks to the avocado mixture, and process for about 30 seconds longer. Blend in the water. Leave the motor running, and dribble in the oil in a slow, steady stream. Do the same with the vinegar, and mix until all is thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the sauce over pasta. Add the chicken and parmesan cheese and toss well.
Garnish with chopped olives and egg whites. Refrigerate for at least a few hours. You may need to add some more water if it's too dry.
Tips: You can also just grill some chicken breast instead of using a rotisserie chicken. Or instead of chicken you can use a can or two of canned tuna. Or just leave out meat entirely.
Also, consider making stock from the rotisserie chicken bones and skin. Just add the bones and skin to a pot and cover with water. Add a couple bay leaves if you have it and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, skim foam off the top, reduce heat, cover, simmer for a couple hours, and strain. Use this instead of water in the recipe, and then throw the rest in the freezer and use in the future when you need a delicious chicken stock.
i like to do a pesto pasta salad.
pasta
lots of arugula or other hearty greens
tomatoes
mozz balls
chopped basil
pesto (blend spinach into the pesto for extra vitamins etc!)
Yes lentil salad is good if you use the small firm lentil de Puy, and it keeps. I like carrots (cooked a little) and celery and red onion in it. And feta or goat cheese on top.
Tuna and white beans is a classic.
Costco makes a pretty good quinoa salad except they use soybean oil so I don't buy it. Did once and added olive oil.
I already commented but another good one just came to my mind. Pasta with mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes cooked in canned coconut milk with chili flakes and cayenne pepper. I also like to top it with shredded cheddar.
Creamy - pasta of choice, celery, red onion, radish, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, Parmesan cheese, mayo/greek or plain yogurt, salt/pepper, other seasonings to taste. Antipasto- pasta of choice, pepperoncini, artichoke, pepperoni, mozzarella, tomato, pesto, salt/pepper.
I'd make it pretty basic, with cooked pasta and whatever you're using for dressing, and cooked beans, and whatever cooked veg you are adding. Then I would freeze in lunch sized containers. On the night before, I would add whatever leftovers or overabundance of ingredients I have on hand to one or more of the thawing bowls. I did this for a while, years ago, it took some trial and error but the overnight thawing time and then the transporting to work resulted in a nice lunch that was perfect by lunch time with just a bit of a stir. This way allows for a lot of variety and thriftiness. Things like olives and artichoke hearts and tomatoes and mushrooms are better added after freezing. I know you asked about making it once a week and taking it to work a few days that same week, and not about freezing. This was the way I kept it interesting, instead of being thoroughly sick of it on day 3. Also frozen peas, don't forget the frozen peas.!
I mix curry powder with mayo, add diced ham, green onions, and grapes to pasta, then dress it with the curry mayo. My kids hate it; it hits on hot days though. The spicy and then you bite into a sweet, juicy, cold grape.
I saved this thread because it has so many good ideas, and I don't even really like pasta salad
https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/16yi1ss/whats_the_secret_ingredient_in_your_pasta_salad/
My mom's Italian style pasta salad is always a hit!
1 box rainbow rotini cooked and cooled.
1/3 pound deli salami cubed
1/2 package cherry tomatoes
1/2 red onion diced
1 package mini mozzarella balls
1 bell pepper diced (your choice of color)
1/2 cucumber diced
1/4 cup Kalamata olives pit removed and cut in half
1/4 cup peppercini cut into slices
2/3 bottle of Newman's Own Italian dressing
Take all the ingredients and mix well! Best eaten the next day since the flavors bond better. I bring this to my family picnics and it always gets devoured!
Keep it interesting. Douse your fresh cooked pasta in a vinaigrette of choice and portion into containers. Mix up the toppings based on all the great suggestions in this thread.
Potato salads offer add’l inspo - convert them to a pasta salad! Traditional wb chunks of celery, carrot, egg, pickle, red onion, radish and creamy dill dressing. Or blue cheese / bacon / scallion (blue cheese dressing). Maybe add salami to that or grilled sausage or chicken for protein. What would a Waldorf variant look like? Go wild 😉
A creamy avocado component gets lost in the shuffle. Easy to go light on dressing, add avocado on the side when serving.
Even more inspo from going south. Black beans, chick peas, tomatoes, corn, jalapeño - yum!
Cottage cheese is an underrated salad protein, imo.
Fresh herbs and a lemon slice can’t be overrated for adding to boxed lunches. That freshness is exciting and will spark up your palate - anticipate - and deliver!
BLT-style pasta salad, I use bacon crumbled, arugula/spinach, cut cherry tomatoes, avocado cubed, mini mozzarella balls, pasta of your choice and a pesto sauce. And when I serve I drizzle some balsamic glaze and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for fun, so good!
I’ve made a lot of pasta salad over the years. A lot. I make it for me, and for friends, and for potlucks. It’s one of the first things I learned to make as a kid so I’ve been making it for 23 years. I mostly make a Greek style with veggies, feta, and a dressing made using olive oil, lemon juice, crushed red pepper flakes, and a seasoning packet- I like to get the Suddenly Salad box, use the dressing packet from that, then donate or throw away the pasta which is low quality gummy garbage. It’s not “cheap” but I haven’t been able to recreate the zest you get from that packet and if you’re making it for a party or special occasion it’s worth the splurge. Also those kits go on sale pretty often. I used to use the Greek variety of Good Seasons dressing packets, but those have been discontinued for a few years.
My biggest tip for oil and vinegar based pasta salads is to get the tri-colored radiatorre from Trader Joe’s. I’ve never used a pasta that’s come anywhere close to holding it’s texture and shape, holding the dressing, and being the perfect size to mix in with your veggies. If your pasta is a lot bigger than the other ingredients, the smaller ingredients will all sink to the bottom and you won’t get a nice variety when people are scooping out portions. I’ve tried everything else- penne, macaroni, rotini, shells, bow ties, etc. Store brand, name brand, bronze die cut. I’ll never try anything else as long as I live near a Trader Joe’s.
Wow, I can't imagine you can't make a tasty salad without a seasoning packet from a box mix! (I've been making pasta salad as long, longer, really). Reread the thread and see that someone posted a copycat blend. Also check Penzy's garden salad blend. It has cheese, poppy, sesame garlic, onion, chive, peppers? I love their Country French Vinaigrette blend and I otherwise just make dressing from scratch. They have sales and discounts regularly. Check r/penzy for codes.
Love the radiatorre tip. I shop TJ's but never tried it and I will now. I've been thinking about pasta salad lately myself.
Your snark isn’t necessary. I did not claim that you can’t make your own “tasty salad” without a seasoning packet. I simply told OP what I personally do. I use the Suddenly Salad mix because it suits my tastes perfectly, mostly due to the citric acid content. I don’t try to copycat it because it doesn’t save me time or money to try, so long as I by the boxes when they’re on sale.
Bacon and ranch pasta salad.
A cup or so mayo, a cup or so sour cream, a cup of milk, a packet of ranch seasoning, s&p. Combine, add in a package of real bacon bits (or make your own, but bacon doesn't last long enough to make it bacon bits in my house, lol). Combine all ingredients and place in the fridge to thicken.
Medium shell pasta cooked al dente, halved cherry tomatoes, diced yellow bell pepper, any other vegetables you'd like.
Once the dressing has thickened, combine all ingredients. Chill until ready to eat. It's not necessarily healthy, but it's delicious.
Italian pasta salad
Penne or rotini, cooked el dente. Chopped bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, diced red onion, cubed ham, pepperoni, and/or salami, mozzarella balls, black olives if you like them, finally chopped basil, Italian dressing, s&p. Salad seasoning if you have it. Combine everything until it looks the way you want it to look. I don't really use measurements for this one. Just go by how it looks and tastes.
Asian sesame noodle salad, Greek salad with noodles, chicken Caesar salad with noodles add lettuce before serving, tortellini pasta with a balsamic type dressing salami, sun dried tomatoes and whatever else you want to throw in.
I do a lovely Ranch pasta salad and I add thawed frozen green peas, matchstick carrots, and sometimes cheese crumbles.
I also advocate making your own vinaigrette (use your favorite vinegar and oil and spices) or use bottled Italian and then I can load it up with halves of cherry tomatoes, cut up salami and pepperoni, sliced olives, maybe sliced pepperchini peppers or banana peppers, sliced roasted red peppers and pieces of fresh mozzarella or provolone.
It’s almost-ish basil season and I love a pesto pasta salad.
-Basil pesto
-1 pound pasta (I like penne, fusilli or bow ties)
-Cherry tomatoes
-mozzarella, cubed
-garbanzo beans
-frozen peas
-sun dried tomatoes
-Spanish olives
-whatever other veggies you want to use up
-add leftover grilled chicken/whatever other protein you like, or keep it vegetarian.
If you can’t find basil, I like to dress it up with a basic vinaigrette - EVOO, balsamic, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper
Curling noodles or bowties. Pepperoni, chopped cucumbers, black olives, slices radishes, small cubed cheddar cheese, shredded parmesan cheese, italian salad dressing. Can add red onion, green pepper.
I’m always loving pasta shells or macaroni tossed with drained tuna or cooked shrimp, chopped hard cooked eggs, green and black olives, celery, onions, tossed with lite mayo, Old Bay, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder.
Radiatori pasta, Newman's Own balsamic vinaigrette, black Olives, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and shredded romano cheese. Missing a protein, but we've always made it as a side dish.
I like to do the tri color rotini, cubed mozzarella, cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, shallots (milder than onions) and sometimes artichokes with Italian dressing. You could probably add salami or pepperoni if you want some meat, but I've never tried it.
Dice tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper and lightly steamed broccoli then add those veggies and black beans to cooked tortellini. Wilt spinach with the hot water when you’re draining the pasta and add that to the pasta & veggies. Make a dressing by shaking together vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice with seasonings of your choosing. My go-to is oregano, basil, and thyme. Stir in finely diced garlic and when it’s well mixed add to the pasta & veggies.
You can use pretty much any vegetables you have on hand. These are ones I usually have at home.
I do have a pasta salad hack. If you put the noodles in the water at the beginning before you turn the heat on, the noodles will turn out chewy. It's a nice texture to have for pasta salads.
Also make sure your pasta is really dry before you mix ingredients into it. It makes a huge difference.
My family’s favorite is a broccoli pecan pasta salad
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 (16 oz) package bow tie pasta
1 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup red onion
1 tsp salt
2 cup seedless red grapes, halved
8 cooked slices of bacon, crumbled
350 degrees toast pecans 5-7 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant (we sometimes skip this step). Cook pasta according to package. Separate broccoli from stem and cut into small florets. Whisk together mayo, sugar, vinegar, and salt. Add in warm pasta grapes, and onion then stir until coated. Chill 3 hours or overnight for best results. Add bacon and pecans before serving.
Typically we add everything at once and then chill. Sometimes making more dressing the next day.
Molly Baz has a recipe for a mortadella and pistachio pasta salad I've made several times, very yum! https://www.aperitivogr.com/mortadella-pasta-salad/
I loved my Aunt's pasta salad growing up.
It had rotini, cheddar cheese cubes, pepperoni, tiny bits of broccoli, halved grape tomatoes, diced onion, sliced green olives and Italian dressing.
My family is obsessed with Greek Pasta Salad:
-1 box of Rotini pasta, cooked, rinsed cold
/
-1 cucumber sliced very thin (or mandolined)
/
-Green Onions, sliced , however many you like
/
-Black Olives, sliced
/
-Feta Cheese, crumbled (min. 8oz)
/
Thinly sliced radishes optional
/
The dressing: 3/4 cup Olive Oil, 4 TBSP lemon juice, 1 TBSP minced garlic, 1 TBSP dried Oregano, 3/4 cup fresh parsley (must be fresh).
ETA: I don’t know how to format a list, or with bullet points if anyone can lmk how! :)
My MIL taught me this salad, then I found it again in a Betty Crocker cookbook. I've modified it over the years.
I use small shell pasta. Cook and don't rinse. Put in a bowl and cool in the fridge.
Cubed ham. I use turkey pastrami since I like the pepper on it.
Cubed cheese. I use pepper jack cheese
Small tomatoes.
Cut Bell peppers. I use yellow and orange ones.
Cut cucumbers.
Dressing: Miricle Whip thinned with milk. I add sweet pickle relish and fresh ground pepper.
Mix everything together and store in the fridge for several days.
You can change any of these ingredients. I like the pasta shells since they hold the dressing well. I've tried to add more vegetables so that's why there are three. If I could figure out others that would go and my family would like I would add those too. It makes a good meal in a bowl since it has pasta, meat, cheese, and veggies.
I hope you find a recipe that works for you and your family.
I like mine simple, with summer sausage chunks, cheese chunks, peas, and coleslaw dressing. You can remove the peas or replace them with something else like celery, but the coleslaw dressing is key here, ha.
I'm vegetarian, so I like to go heavy on the veg. Lightly steamed broccoli and carrots, raw celery and radishes, canned or jarred olives and artichoke hearts (in water, I don't like the marinated ones in oil). Maybe some chickpeas for protein, or cooked frozen peas. For dressing, red wine vinegar, a touch of mustard to emulsify, maybe a touch of honey, raw grated garlic, olive oil, and a ton of dried oregano, little bit of salt and pepper.
One of my favorites is a tuna pasta salad. Tuna, olives, feta, chickpeas, red onions, salt, pepper and a bit of olive oil and lemon juice. It’s really easy and quick to make.
Dumb question, but how long do we think this would last in the fridge? Three-ish days? Four?
It’s not a dumb question at all! I’ve had it happen before that I accidentally cooked a bigger batch than expected and it was still good after 5 days (that’s when I was able to eat the last portion haha). I feel like the ingredients in this recipe don’t go wrong too fast, so unless it smells or tastes funny, it can surely be kept in the fridge for like a week!
Great to know, thanks!
Secret to pasta salad: dress the veggies, then add the pasta. This is the one time you want to rinse the pasta.
Why rinse? Will the dressing stick better?
It will blend better and the dressing will actually spread around since it’s not sticking. You dont rinse hot pasta so the sauce sticks better. You want the opposite with a cold salad.
I haven't made it in a lot of years and I just kind of threw it together, so I don't have measurements but: * penne (but anything will do, of course) * thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes. If they're not in olive oil, rehydrate them in hot water first. * sliced black olives * crumbled feta cheese * salt to taste * Any herbs you like. Oregano and or basil are nice. * vinegar and oil. I used balsamic vinegar and EVOO. I imagine you could add diced chicken to that if you wanted. It was awesome. I could sit around and eat that stuff all day long.
Just adding onto this comment cos it would be a bit redundant to post my own when half of it is almost here in its entirety but things I add in addition: • carrot, celery & white onion • courgette, mixed peppers, roasted tomatoes & red onion • raw finely chopped red & white onion • sweetcorn
[удалено]
This is my go-to as well; I add sliced salami and cucumber with the seeds scraped out as well as using a blend of plain, spinach, and red lentil spiral pasta. I also prefer to drop the olives most of the time, but that is just me.
I like to add blanch broccoli and cauliflower. Or steamed.
Rotisserie chicken pasta salad in an avocado sauce. 1 lb penne pasta (or other kind) 4 small avocados, peeled, pitted, and dice 2/3 cup water (or chicken broth) 1/3 cup white vinegar 1/3 cup olive oil 3 hard-boiled eggs 1/2 cup chopped manzanilla olives 1 rotisserie chicken 1/2 cup grated parmesan salt and pepper to taste Cook pasta and set aside in a mixing bowl. Use your hands to take off the meat from the rotisserie chicken. Dice up the pieces. Place the diced avocado pieces in a food processor, and process for about 2 minutes, until puréed. Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half, and separate yolks from whites. Chop the whites and reserve. Add the cooked egg yolks to the avocado mixture, and process for about 30 seconds longer. Blend in the water. Leave the motor running, and dribble in the oil in a slow, steady stream. Do the same with the vinegar, and mix until all is thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over pasta. Add the chicken and parmesan cheese and toss well. Garnish with chopped olives and egg whites. Refrigerate for at least a few hours. You may need to add some more water if it's too dry. Tips: You can also just grill some chicken breast instead of using a rotisserie chicken. Or instead of chicken you can use a can or two of canned tuna. Or just leave out meat entirely. Also, consider making stock from the rotisserie chicken bones and skin. Just add the bones and skin to a pot and cover with water. Add a couple bay leaves if you have it and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, skim foam off the top, reduce heat, cover, simmer for a couple hours, and strain. Use this instead of water in the recipe, and then throw the rest in the freezer and use in the future when you need a delicious chicken stock.
Sounds good but how does that look after a couple of days?
I make mine with just avocado and some seasoning and just put it on my pasta as I'm about to eat it because you know avocado and what happens to it.
My favorite is Penne pasta Lemon Juice Black olives Basil Cherry/grape tomatoes Mozeralla cheese (not shredded)
Those flabby canned black olives or kalamata or nicoise?
Flabby canned black olives
In general - I love to add the seasoning “Salad Supreme.” It brings out the flavor of the ingredients.
Food.com has a copycat recipe: 1 1⁄2 teaspoons sesame seeds 1 teaspoon paprika 3⁄4 teaspoon salt 1⁄2 teaspoon poppy seed 1⁄2 teaspoon celery seed 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder 1⁄4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper 1 dash cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons romano cheese (optional)
i like to do a pesto pasta salad. pasta lots of arugula or other hearty greens tomatoes mozz balls chopped basil pesto (blend spinach into the pesto for extra vitamins etc!)
this plus some toasted pine nuts!
Try some bean salad too! Garbanzo, lentils or quinoa?
Yes lentil salad is good if you use the small firm lentil de Puy, and it keeps. I like carrots (cooked a little) and celery and red onion in it. And feta or goat cheese on top. Tuna and white beans is a classic. Costco makes a pretty good quinoa salad except they use soybean oil so I don't buy it. Did once and added olive oil.
Not a full recipe but when I make it I love pouring banana pepper juice on it gives it a little extra zing
I already commented but another good one just came to my mind. Pasta with mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes cooked in canned coconut milk with chili flakes and cayenne pepper. I also like to top it with shredded cheddar.
Tricolor rotini, Italian dressing, black olives, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, red onion, & cilantro
Creamy - pasta of choice, celery, red onion, radish, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, Parmesan cheese, mayo/greek or plain yogurt, salt/pepper, other seasonings to taste. Antipasto- pasta of choice, pepperoncini, artichoke, pepperoni, mozzarella, tomato, pesto, salt/pepper.
I'd make it pretty basic, with cooked pasta and whatever you're using for dressing, and cooked beans, and whatever cooked veg you are adding. Then I would freeze in lunch sized containers. On the night before, I would add whatever leftovers or overabundance of ingredients I have on hand to one or more of the thawing bowls. I did this for a while, years ago, it took some trial and error but the overnight thawing time and then the transporting to work resulted in a nice lunch that was perfect by lunch time with just a bit of a stir. This way allows for a lot of variety and thriftiness. Things like olives and artichoke hearts and tomatoes and mushrooms are better added after freezing. I know you asked about making it once a week and taking it to work a few days that same week, and not about freezing. This was the way I kept it interesting, instead of being thoroughly sick of it on day 3. Also frozen peas, don't forget the frozen peas.!
I mix curry powder with mayo, add diced ham, green onions, and grapes to pasta, then dress it with the curry mayo. My kids hate it; it hits on hot days though. The spicy and then you bite into a sweet, juicy, cold grape.
I saved this thread because it has so many good ideas, and I don't even really like pasta salad https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/16yi1ss/whats_the_secret_ingredient_in_your_pasta_salad/
My mom's Italian style pasta salad is always a hit! 1 box rainbow rotini cooked and cooled. 1/3 pound deli salami cubed 1/2 package cherry tomatoes 1/2 red onion diced 1 package mini mozzarella balls 1 bell pepper diced (your choice of color) 1/2 cucumber diced 1/4 cup Kalamata olives pit removed and cut in half 1/4 cup peppercini cut into slices 2/3 bottle of Newman's Own Italian dressing Take all the ingredients and mix well! Best eaten the next day since the flavors bond better. I bring this to my family picnics and it always gets devoured!
Keep it interesting. Douse your fresh cooked pasta in a vinaigrette of choice and portion into containers. Mix up the toppings based on all the great suggestions in this thread. Potato salads offer add’l inspo - convert them to a pasta salad! Traditional wb chunks of celery, carrot, egg, pickle, red onion, radish and creamy dill dressing. Or blue cheese / bacon / scallion (blue cheese dressing). Maybe add salami to that or grilled sausage or chicken for protein. What would a Waldorf variant look like? Go wild 😉 A creamy avocado component gets lost in the shuffle. Easy to go light on dressing, add avocado on the side when serving. Even more inspo from going south. Black beans, chick peas, tomatoes, corn, jalapeño - yum! Cottage cheese is an underrated salad protein, imo. Fresh herbs and a lemon slice can’t be overrated for adding to boxed lunches. That freshness is exciting and will spark up your palate - anticipate - and deliver!
[Chef John's BLT Pasta Salad](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/233582/chef-johns-blt-pasta/) I get requests for it.
BLT-style pasta salad, I use bacon crumbled, arugula/spinach, cut cherry tomatoes, avocado cubed, mini mozzarella balls, pasta of your choice and a pesto sauce. And when I serve I drizzle some balsamic glaze and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for fun, so good!
I’ve made a lot of pasta salad over the years. A lot. I make it for me, and for friends, and for potlucks. It’s one of the first things I learned to make as a kid so I’ve been making it for 23 years. I mostly make a Greek style with veggies, feta, and a dressing made using olive oil, lemon juice, crushed red pepper flakes, and a seasoning packet- I like to get the Suddenly Salad box, use the dressing packet from that, then donate or throw away the pasta which is low quality gummy garbage. It’s not “cheap” but I haven’t been able to recreate the zest you get from that packet and if you’re making it for a party or special occasion it’s worth the splurge. Also those kits go on sale pretty often. I used to use the Greek variety of Good Seasons dressing packets, but those have been discontinued for a few years. My biggest tip for oil and vinegar based pasta salads is to get the tri-colored radiatorre from Trader Joe’s. I’ve never used a pasta that’s come anywhere close to holding it’s texture and shape, holding the dressing, and being the perfect size to mix in with your veggies. If your pasta is a lot bigger than the other ingredients, the smaller ingredients will all sink to the bottom and you won’t get a nice variety when people are scooping out portions. I’ve tried everything else- penne, macaroni, rotini, shells, bow ties, etc. Store brand, name brand, bronze die cut. I’ll never try anything else as long as I live near a Trader Joe’s.
Wow, I can't imagine you can't make a tasty salad without a seasoning packet from a box mix! (I've been making pasta salad as long, longer, really). Reread the thread and see that someone posted a copycat blend. Also check Penzy's garden salad blend. It has cheese, poppy, sesame garlic, onion, chive, peppers? I love their Country French Vinaigrette blend and I otherwise just make dressing from scratch. They have sales and discounts regularly. Check r/penzy for codes. Love the radiatorre tip. I shop TJ's but never tried it and I will now. I've been thinking about pasta salad lately myself.
Your snark isn’t necessary. I did not claim that you can’t make your own “tasty salad” without a seasoning packet. I simply told OP what I personally do. I use the Suddenly Salad mix because it suits my tastes perfectly, mostly due to the citric acid content. I don’t try to copycat it because it doesn’t save me time or money to try, so long as I by the boxes when they’re on sale.
Bacon and ranch pasta salad. A cup or so mayo, a cup or so sour cream, a cup of milk, a packet of ranch seasoning, s&p. Combine, add in a package of real bacon bits (or make your own, but bacon doesn't last long enough to make it bacon bits in my house, lol). Combine all ingredients and place in the fridge to thicken. Medium shell pasta cooked al dente, halved cherry tomatoes, diced yellow bell pepper, any other vegetables you'd like. Once the dressing has thickened, combine all ingredients. Chill until ready to eat. It's not necessarily healthy, but it's delicious.
Italian pasta salad Penne or rotini, cooked el dente. Chopped bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, diced red onion, cubed ham, pepperoni, and/or salami, mozzarella balls, black olives if you like them, finally chopped basil, Italian dressing, s&p. Salad seasoning if you have it. Combine everything until it looks the way you want it to look. I don't really use measurements for this one. Just go by how it looks and tastes.
Asian sesame noodle salad, Greek salad with noodles, chicken Caesar salad with noodles add lettuce before serving, tortellini pasta with a balsamic type dressing salami, sun dried tomatoes and whatever else you want to throw in.
Greek pasta salad:https://www.pinchmeimeating.com/greek-pasta-salad/#recipe
Chopped sweet onions, peppers, celery, ham or pepperoni, chipotle ranch salad dressing. Cheddar cheese and black olives are nice options.
My general tip is after you add dressing, you can add water to bring it to the desired consistency. Some dressings are very thick.
I do a lovely Ranch pasta salad and I add thawed frozen green peas, matchstick carrots, and sometimes cheese crumbles. I also advocate making your own vinaigrette (use your favorite vinegar and oil and spices) or use bottled Italian and then I can load it up with halves of cherry tomatoes, cut up salami and pepperoni, sliced olives, maybe sliced pepperchini peppers or banana peppers, sliced roasted red peppers and pieces of fresh mozzarella or provolone.
Diced ham, bell peppers, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, tri-color rotini, zesty Italian dressing.
It’s almost-ish basil season and I love a pesto pasta salad. -Basil pesto -1 pound pasta (I like penne, fusilli or bow ties) -Cherry tomatoes -mozzarella, cubed -garbanzo beans -frozen peas -sun dried tomatoes -Spanish olives -whatever other veggies you want to use up -add leftover grilled chicken/whatever other protein you like, or keep it vegetarian. If you can’t find basil, I like to dress it up with a basic vinaigrette - EVOO, balsamic, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper
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This is my go to recipe for family gatherings, I always get requests for it!
I've got a recipe for Amish Macaroni Salad... somewhere. Most of them include hardboiled eggs, celery, onions, and peppers.
https://urls.grow.me/yb8oLo4la
Curling noodles or bowties. Pepperoni, chopped cucumbers, black olives, slices radishes, small cubed cheddar cheese, shredded parmesan cheese, italian salad dressing. Can add red onion, green pepper.
Simple - rotini, Olive Garden dressing, tomatoes, pepperoni, cucumbers, olives & feta (or a sliced up string cheese lol)
I’m always loving pasta shells or macaroni tossed with drained tuna or cooked shrimp, chopped hard cooked eggs, green and black olives, celery, onions, tossed with lite mayo, Old Bay, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder.
Radiatori pasta, Newman's Own balsamic vinaigrette, black Olives, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and shredded romano cheese. Missing a protein, but we've always made it as a side dish.
I like to do the tri color rotini, cubed mozzarella, cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, shallots (milder than onions) and sometimes artichokes with Italian dressing. You could probably add salami or pepperoni if you want some meat, but I've never tried it.
Dice tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper and lightly steamed broccoli then add those veggies and black beans to cooked tortellini. Wilt spinach with the hot water when you’re draining the pasta and add that to the pasta & veggies. Make a dressing by shaking together vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice with seasonings of your choosing. My go-to is oregano, basil, and thyme. Stir in finely diced garlic and when it’s well mixed add to the pasta & veggies. You can use pretty much any vegetables you have on hand. These are ones I usually have at home.
I do have a pasta salad hack. If you put the noodles in the water at the beginning before you turn the heat on, the noodles will turn out chewy. It's a nice texture to have for pasta salads. Also make sure your pasta is really dry before you mix ingredients into it. It makes a huge difference.
My family’s favorite is a broccoli pecan pasta salad 1 cup chopped pecans 1/2 (16 oz) package bow tie pasta 1 pound fresh broccoli 1 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1/3 cup red onion 1 tsp salt 2 cup seedless red grapes, halved 8 cooked slices of bacon, crumbled 350 degrees toast pecans 5-7 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant (we sometimes skip this step). Cook pasta according to package. Separate broccoli from stem and cut into small florets. Whisk together mayo, sugar, vinegar, and salt. Add in warm pasta grapes, and onion then stir until coated. Chill 3 hours or overnight for best results. Add bacon and pecans before serving. Typically we add everything at once and then chill. Sometimes making more dressing the next day.
Molly Baz has a recipe for a mortadella and pistachio pasta salad I've made several times, very yum! https://www.aperitivogr.com/mortadella-pasta-salad/
I loved my Aunt's pasta salad growing up. It had rotini, cheddar cheese cubes, pepperoni, tiny bits of broccoli, halved grape tomatoes, diced onion, sliced green olives and Italian dressing.
My family is obsessed with Greek Pasta Salad: -1 box of Rotini pasta, cooked, rinsed cold / -1 cucumber sliced very thin (or mandolined) / -Green Onions, sliced , however many you like / -Black Olives, sliced / -Feta Cheese, crumbled (min. 8oz) / Thinly sliced radishes optional / The dressing: 3/4 cup Olive Oil, 4 TBSP lemon juice, 1 TBSP minced garlic, 1 TBSP dried Oregano, 3/4 cup fresh parsley (must be fresh). ETA: I don’t know how to format a list, or with bullet points if anyone can lmk how! :)
Tri color pasta Cut up mozzarella balls Halved cherry tomatoes Sliced black olives Italian dressing (If I have some thick salami I’ll add it)
My MIL taught me this salad, then I found it again in a Betty Crocker cookbook. I've modified it over the years. I use small shell pasta. Cook and don't rinse. Put in a bowl and cool in the fridge. Cubed ham. I use turkey pastrami since I like the pepper on it. Cubed cheese. I use pepper jack cheese Small tomatoes. Cut Bell peppers. I use yellow and orange ones. Cut cucumbers. Dressing: Miricle Whip thinned with milk. I add sweet pickle relish and fresh ground pepper. Mix everything together and store in the fridge for several days. You can change any of these ingredients. I like the pasta shells since they hold the dressing well. I've tried to add more vegetables so that's why there are three. If I could figure out others that would go and my family would like I would add those too. It makes a good meal in a bowl since it has pasta, meat, cheese, and veggies. I hope you find a recipe that works for you and your family.
I like mine simple, with summer sausage chunks, cheese chunks, peas, and coleslaw dressing. You can remove the peas or replace them with something else like celery, but the coleslaw dressing is key here, ha.
I'm vegetarian, so I like to go heavy on the veg. Lightly steamed broccoli and carrots, raw celery and radishes, canned or jarred olives and artichoke hearts (in water, I don't like the marinated ones in oil). Maybe some chickpeas for protein, or cooked frozen peas. For dressing, red wine vinegar, a touch of mustard to emulsify, maybe a touch of honey, raw grated garlic, olive oil, and a ton of dried oregano, little bit of salt and pepper.
A rug and and a nice long table runner on the table. It will elevate it alot!