E-Z PASTA SALAD RECIPES – PERFECT FOR SUMMER!

It’s summer and the heat is “on!” Quick cold meals are a “must” in our home. One of the easiest cold dishes you can make (and even make “ahead” of time) is pasta salad. Serve pasta salads as a side or load them up with tons of veggies and/or meat to make them a meal.

Almost any type of pasta will do – tube pastas, curly pastas, tri-colored pastas, half moon pastas, macaroni, etc. etc. The good news is, there’s plenty to choose from, so save some $$ and grab the ones on sale!

Here’s the key to easy pasta salad: Use your favorite store-bought dressing. You choose how much dressing you want on it. Add vegetables and/or meat such as shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover ham or chicken, salami, tuna, etc.

Get cheesy! Depending on the pasta dish, you “might” want to top it off with feta cheese, shredded Parmesan, diced or shredded cheddar, etc. – OR No cheese at all!

*NOTE: If the pasta salad becomes “dry” by the time you serve it, moisten it by mixing in a little bit of water or olive oil OR more dressing IF it won’t overpower the flavor. IF you’re using a creamy dressing such as Ranch, mix in a little bit of milk or cream.

Below are some of our favorite dressing and ingredient combinations just to get you started. Once you start experimenting, you’ll come up with your own favorites. Pasta salad is not only a great way to stretch your budget, but can help you get rid of leftovers. It’s also an easy dish for picnics, bar-b-ques or covered dishes.

INSTRUCTIONS – LET’S GET GOING:

– COOK your pasta per package instructions

– COOL at room temperature (it’s ok if pasta is a little warm)

– ADD the dressing AND ingredients

– REFRIGERATE: for at least 2 hours before serving

– STIR before serving, adding milk, cream, water, oil or more dressing (SEE “NOTE” ABOVE) IF the salad gets dry.

ITALIAN PASTA SALAD

DRESSING: Italian or Balsamic vinaigrette

marinated artichokes (chopped)

sun dried tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes

pitted black olives (plain or Greek Kalamata)

crumbled feta cheese or Parmesan

CHICKEN PASTA SALAD:

DRESSING: Ranch, creamy Italian or Blue Cheese

shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken (skin removed)

thinly sliced scallions

shredded carrots

thin slices of red or yellow pepper

OPTIONAL: Crumbled cooked bacon bits

GARDEN PASTA SALAD

DRESSING: Ranch

diced cucumber

diced or sliced fresh tomatoes (or halved cherry tomatoes)

shredded carrots

diced peppers such as red, green, yellow or a mix

cooked corn

THE GREEK PASTA SALAD:

DRESSING:  Greek dressing

pitted Greek Kalamata Olives

sun-dried tomatoes in oil OR diced fresh tomatoes

diced cucumbers

optional: crumbled feta cheese (check to see if your dressing ALREADY has feta cheese in it — might be overkill!)

optional: shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken

SIMPLE VEGGIE PASTA SALAD:

DRESSING: Creamy dressing such as Ranch

cooked peas

shredded or thinly sliced carrots

cooked corn (can use leftover corn on the cob)

diced or sliced fresh tomatoes

EXPERIMENT WITH: Fresh spinach leaves, fresh basil leaves, dill weed, radishes, crumbled cooked bacon, marinated mushrooms, broccoli, cooked asparagus, onions (regular or pickled) etc. etc. The combinations are endless!

This is another Free-Style recipe – recipes for you to tailor to your own personal taste! How much dressing you use or how heavy you go on the ingredients is all up to YOU! Once you start free-styling, you might just toss away the cookbooks or stop looking up recipes online!