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...
Black Bean Brownies (with flour)
Black Bean Brownies (with flour)
Surprise yourself and others with these chocolatey cake-like brownies made with black beans.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
16 pieces
Eggplant Pizza Slices
Eggplant Pizza Slices
Cheesy, melty and topped with a dash of crunchy breadcrumbs.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
20 minutes
Makes:
8 Slices
Spinach Pasta Salad
Spinach Pasta Salad
This fun and delicious pasta salad recipe combines fresh veggies, crunchy seeds, tangy fruit and tender pasta with a savory teriyaki dressing.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Makes:
5 cups
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
4 Cups
Orange Rice Salad
Orange Rice Salad
This flavorful combination of rice, citrus, nuts and raisins makes a popular side dish. Add a protein for a filling and satisfying lunch.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Makes:
5 cups
Vegetarian Tofu Enchiladas
Vegetarian Tofu Enchiladas
Tofu provides protein while mushrooms provide texture and umami flavor in these easy enchiladas.
Prepare:
30 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
8 pieces
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!