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...
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
5 minutes
Makes:
8 cups
Baked Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
Baked Cinnamon Tortilla Chips
Simple and quick home-made chips to dip in any of our fruit salsas.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
10 minutes
Makes:
24 Chips
Plant Part Salad
Plant Part Salad
Kids learn the parts of a plant and how to make a tasty salad with this recipe.
Prepare:
15 to 20 minutes
Makes:
12 cups
Baked Meatballs
Baked Meatballs
Easy homemade meatballs with vegetables and oats for added moisture, flavor and nutrients!
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
21 meatballs
Banana Ginger Sauce
Banana Ginger Sauce
Inspired by banana ketchup, a condiment from the Philippines, this sweet and tangy sauce is the perfect addition to many dishes!
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
20 minutes
Makes:
1 cup
Sesame Broccoli
Sesame Broccoli
Sauteed broccoli with a savory sesame sauce. Ready in 30 minutes or less!
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
15 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!