Skip to main content

Tomato Pasta Salad

Great make ahead-meal with fresh veggies, Italian herbs and a tangy dressing.
Kid friendly
Bowls of colorful spiral pasta with olives and broccoli.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Makes: 6 cups
Nutrition Facts: View label

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

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Rinse fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
  3. Combine the cooked pasta, tomatoes, broccoli and black olives together in a bowl.
  4. Add the herbs, cheese and salad dressing. Stir together and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  5. 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.

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! 

You might also like...

Recipes A to Z (without photos)

Citrus Flavored Water
Glasses of ice water with thin lemon slices.

Citrus Flavored Water

A fun, citrusy recipe to help keep you hydrated
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
4 cups
Bean Salad
A bowl of salad made with different types of beans and crunchy vegetables is displayed on striped tablecloth.

Bean Salad

Quick and easy to prepare mix of beans with a tangy vinaigrette!
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
7 cups
Broccoli Raisin Salad
A bowl is filled with crunchy salad featuring broccoli, raisins and sunflower seeds.

Broccoli Raisin Salad

A quick and delicious salad that will be a hit at home or at a party.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Makes:
6 Cups
No-Knead Whole-Wheat Bread
slices of bread from a rustic loaf

No-Knead Whole-Wheat Bread

This recipe uses a long rise time instead of kneading to make a whole-grain bread with nice texture and flavor.
Prepare:
20 minutes + 13 hours rising
Cook:
50 minutes
Makes:
20 pieces
Dried Bananas
Small bowls of sliced dried banana.

Dried Bananas

A simple recipe that is full of flavor and perfect for snacking!
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
1 hour
Makes:
1 dried banana
Pineapple Veggie Chicken
Medium bowl of chicken, pineapple and vegetables in broth served with rice.

Pineapple Veggie Chicken

Chicken breast simmered in a sweet and tangy broth with a hint of citrus, garlic and ginger.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
10 cups
Was this page helpful to you?
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.