Easy Pasta Salad

Summer, the season of year to spend less time in the kitchen and more time outdoors. A great side dish for summer meals should be easy to make and be able to be made ahead. Pasta Salad is a good choice as it’s easy, can be made ahead and goes well as a summer side dish. Our version even cheats a little using bottled dressing.

Jump to Recipe

Start with bright, fresh vegetables. All kinds of vegetables can be substituted, such as green beans, green onion, any color bell pepper, celery or pepperoncini. Steaming the broccoli until just al dente, makes it easier to crunch in the salad.

After cooking the pasta, let it cool very well before adding the rest of the ingredients. Again, bow tie or macaroni pasta could be substituted here too.

Once the pasta is cooled, add the vegetables. Add more or less according to your taste.

A Bright Fresh Salad

This salad just looks like summer. And, what makes it feel like summer, is that it’s easy to make. Find your favorite lite salad dressing to toss with the pasta.

Add the cubed cheese. Salami, cooked chicken or chopped ham could be added as well.

That’s it! Before it’s time to jump in the pool or start the picnic, the salad is ready.

Yield: 8-10

Author: Jennifer Hipskind

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Summer Pasta Salad

Quick and easy to make pasta salad that is great to serve with a summer meal or just anytime.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Ingredients

• 1 package tri color pasta, cooked according to the package directions
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1-2 crowns of broccoli steamed until al dente, cut into bite size pieces
• 18-24 Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1-2 carrots or a handful of baby carrots, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 3/4 cup Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese, cubed
• 1/2 bottle (or more) lite salad or lite balsamic dressing
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Other ideas: Salami cubed, cooked chicken cubed, fresh green beans steamed and cut into 1 in pieces, sliced pepperoncini

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and allow to cool.
2. While the pasta is cooling steam the broccoli and chop the vegetables
3. Once the pasta is well cooled, add the vegetables. Stir well.
4. Add the salt, pepper and oregano. Stir well.
5. Add the salad dressing, toss and mix well. Next add the cubed cheese.
6. Stir all together. Taste and correct with additional dressing or salt/pepper. This can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy!