Quick and Tasty Pasta Salad: The Best Recipe for Busy Days
If you have been looking for a colorful and filling dish then you will love this Pasta Salad. This Pasta Salad is not only a side dish but also a main course and can also be used as an appetizer for any meal. If you are going to have a picnic, have a barbecue, or are just looking for an easily prepared meal at home Pasta Salad is a perfect fit.
Pasta Salad is always popular because its preparation is relatively easy and it can be prepared in this or that way. In a nutshell, Pasta Salad consists of cooked pasta, an assortment of vegetables, cheeses, and a form of dressing the food is prepared in. Here is the most delicious and healthy version of this Pasta Salad recipe as added some spin to the basic recipe.
The Pasta Salad is built on the foundation of the pasta that has been cooked. This recipe can be completed with any kind of pasta; rotini, penne, fusilli, etc. What is more, these shapes are stable in salad and let the dressing stick to the food well. The pasta is boiled in water and once it is tender it is drained, combined with the sauce, and cooked until al dente, then rinsed with cold water to halt the cooking process and cool the pasta down because the idea is to keep the salad fresh and crispy.
Then, for the Pasta Salad, several fresh vegetables are put in. For this recipe, you will need cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and black olives. All of these ingredients do a bit of everything; from adding an array of colors to the food, a great crunchy feel, as well as bursting flavors to the food. I have also garnished the vegetables with feta cheese to give them a creamy and slightly bitter taste to balance the sweetness of the vegetables. It also uses fresh basil leaves as an ingredient to get that fresh herbal taste.
The dressing is a very important component in most of the Pasta salads. This recipe includes a dressing that is not bought but prepared from extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice and zest, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and dried oregano. These ingredients when mixed provide the perfect blend that intensifies the flavor of the pasta food and vegetables as well without dominating them. The dressing is then beaten until the contents are well mixed and each portion of the Pasta Salad tastes of the dressing.
The beauty of this Pasta Salad is easily quite possibly one of the most dominant attributes of this dish. For additional protein, you can stir in bacon bits cooked or grilled chicken. For even more richness, one might ladle some grated parmesan over the top. These are additions that you can include in the Pasta Salad to make it suit your taste or even have it as a main course.
The procedure of preparing this Pasta Salad is quite simple. All you do is cook the pasta and then prepare the vegetables; then you mix everything in a large bowl. The dressing is then poured over the mixture and everything is stirred so that it is well coated. It also allows equal distribution of the various ingredients hence each spoonful of the Pasta Salad will taste as good as the other.
Serving and Enjoying Pasta Salad
This Pasta Salad can be served straight away or it will keep refrigerated for 3 days. Preparing it in advance allows for a quick meal or side dish to be served when a person is not inclined or does not have the time to prepare a meal from scratch. It looks and tastes even better after it has been chilled for a time, thus it can be prepared ahead of time or during a party.
Try More Recipe:- Deliciously Simple Mango Avocado Salad: Perfect for Any Occasion
This Pasta Salad is another simple, but tasty dish that can be prepared for any type of event. It encompasses soft pasta put together with fresh vegetables, cheese, and a sharp dressing; and it is a perfect side dish or even main dish.
- 12 oz pasta (340g(such as rotini, penne, or fusilli))
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup cooked bacon bits or grilled chicken for added protein
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for extra flavor
- Cook the Pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente (usually about 8-10 minutes).
Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Set aside.
- Prepare the Vegetables:
While the pasta is cooking, chop the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onion.
Slice the black olives and crumble the feta cheese.
Chop the fresh basil leaves.
- Make the Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Combine the Ingredients:
In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, feta cheese, and chopped basil.
- Add the Dressing:
Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture.
Toss everything together until the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve:
Serve the Pasta Salad immediately or chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Garnish with extra basil or Parmesan cheese if desired.
Servings 5
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 270kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 21g33%
- Saturated Fat 3g15%
- Cholesterol 3mg1%
- Sodium 1800mg75%
- Potassium 260mg8%
- Total Carbohydrate 35g12%
- Dietary Fiber 4g16%
- Sugars 8g
- Protein 10g20%
- Vitamin A 4011 IU
- Vitamin C 75 mg
- Calcium 49 mg
- Iron 3 mg
- Phosphorus 75 mg
- Magnesium 25 mmol
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
- You can make this Pasta Salad ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Feel free to adjust the vegetables and cheese based on your preferences or what you have on hand.