Great make ahead-meal with fresh veggies, Italian herbs and a tangy dressing.
Tomato Pasta Salad
Ingredients
4 cups cooked rotini pasta
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped broccoli
¼ cup sliced black olives
2 teaspoons dry Italian herbs
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces low-fat Italian salad dressing (about 1 cup)
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Rinse fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
- Combine the cooked pasta, tomatoes, broccoli and black olives together in a bowl.
- Add the herbs, cheese and salad dressing. Stir together and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Photo and recipe adapted from Nutrition Matters.
Notes
- Try adding other vegetables such as corn, cucumber and avocado.
- Try whole-wheat pasta.
- Low-fat vinaigrette salad dressing also works in this recipe.
You might also like...
No-Yeast Pizza Crust
No-Yeast Pizza Crust
A quick and easy way to make homemade pizza crust without yeast. Great idea for your next family dinner!
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
20 minutes
Makes:
1 12-inch crust
Wild Rice with Salmon Stew
Wild Rice with Salmon Stew
Filling and flavorful meal combining fish, vegetables and whole grains with herbs and lemon.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
30 to 40 minutes
Makes:
8 Servings
Veggie Patties
Veggie Patties
Quick 30-minute meal with carrots, zucchini and potatoes. Works well with most any vegetables and seasonings.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
10 minutes
Makes:
14 patties
Vegetarian Tamales
Vegetarian Tamales
Thanks to Victor Villegas and the OSU Extension Latin Heritage Workgroup for this recipe.
Prepare:
1 hour
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
15 Tamales
Roasted Garlic
Roasted Garlic
Roasting garlic brings out sweet and mellow flavors that go well with many recipes. Freeze extra to keep on hand.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
40 minutes
Makes:
3 Tablespoons
Lemon Dill Brussels Sprouts
Lemon Dill Brussels Sprouts
Sauteed Brussels sprouts with a creamy lemon and dill sauce.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
10 minutes
Makes:
2 Cups


Comments
This Tomato Pasta Salad recipe makes a perfect quick and easy side dish! I have only gotten positive reviews on the flavor and the leftovers keep well in the fridge if you are making it the day before the event.
I seem to always have some kind of noodle at home and some Italian dressing somewhere in my fridge....thus this recipe is a super accessible one for me! For the rest of the ingredients, I add what I have on hand. This is one of my go-to packed lunches I make for myself -- for a couple of days at a time.
We substituted 2 cups of asparagus instead of the broccoli, and high school students loved it!