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...
Simple Sautéed Mushrooms
Simple Sautéed Mushrooms
These sautéed mushrooms add rich flavor to roasted proteins, grain bowls, baked potatoes and so much more!
Prepare:
7 minutes
Cook:
10 to 15 minutes
Makes:
4 Servings
Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables
Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables
Make your own crispy pickled vegetables at home with this simple recipe.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Makes:
2 pints or 1 quart
Blueberry Tofu Smoothie
Blueberry Tofu Smoothie
Kid-approved, this dairy-free smoothie is super quick to make for a tasty breakfast or snack.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
4 cups
Skillet-Braised Chicken
Skillet-Braised Chicken
A simple and delicious chicken recipe to enjoy as is or use in many recipes from salads to pasta.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
20 minutes
Makes:
2 Servings
Fruit Yogurt Popsicles
Fruit Yogurt Popsicles
Make a quick and tasty frozen treat that kids of all ages will love!
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
9 popsicles
Any Berry Sauce
Any Berry Sauce
This easy make-ahead berry sauce is perfect for pancakes, oatmeal or yogurt any time of year.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
2 ¼ 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!