Enjoy this quick salad in less than 30 minutes.
Personalized Pasta Salad
Ingredients
2 cups uncooked pasta, such as macaroni or rotini
½ cup salad dressing
2 cups cooked, cubed protein (see Notes)
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium bell pepper (any color), cut in 1-inch pieces
½ medium red onion, diced
1 can (4 ounces) sliced black olives
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
- Measure 6 cups of water into a large sauce pan.
- Bring water to a boil over high heat and add pasta. Cook until tender (about 8 to 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly. Drain well.
- Add dressing to pasta and toss lightly.
- Add protein and vegetables and toss again.
- Chill until ready to serve.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- Try cooked beans, tofu, chicken, beef, pork, tuna, salmon, turkey, shrimp, or hard-boiled egg for the chicken.
- Try Food Hero's Red Wine Vinaigrette for your salad dressing.
You might also like...
Corn and Tomato Salad
Corn and Tomato Salad
Light and refreshing salad idea with Italian dressing and fresh herbs. A great option for side dishes, potlucks or summer BBQs.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
3 cups
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
This easy Pulled Pork recipe is made with pork shoulder and spices from your pantry. Slow cooking is a simple way to create tender and juicy pork for many different meals.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
7 to 9 hours
Makes:
5 cups
Squash Blossom Quesadilla
Squash Blossom Quesadilla
Tortillas filled with tender sautéed squash blossoms and creamy cheese. Make them your own by adding salsa, peppers, cilantro or epazote.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
6 quesadillas
Breakfast Banana Split
Breakfast Banana Split
Try this kid-approved recipe for a healthy and fun breakfast. Whole-grain cereal is topped with yogurt, pineapple and a drizzle of honey.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
2 Banana Splits
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
10 minutes
Makes:
8 wedges
Chimichurri
Chimichurri
This fresh green sauce is perfect on grilled or roasted proteins and vegetables. Also use on grain bowls or as a marinade. Thanks to the Latin Heritage Workgroup for their assistance.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Makes:
1 cup
Comments
I thought this would be a great summer lunch recipe. I personalized it a little more and added canned artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, and green onions. I used a balsamic vinegarette dressing and topped it with a little more balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper for added flavor. I used store-bought rotisserie chicken, which made this a quick and easy recipe. So flavorful, simple, and quick!
I used this recipe at an after school program and I had the kids choose their own add ins to the pasta so it was truly personalized. They loved it!