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)

Tofu Banana Pudding
Dessert glasses of creamy pudding topped with banana slices.

Tofu Banana Pudding

Only 4 ingredients and 15 minutes for this sweet and creamy treat.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Makes:
3 ½ Cups
Skillet Lasagna
Skillet full of noodles, beef and vegetables under a layer of melted mozzarella cheese.

Skillet Lasagna

A fun twist on traditional lasagna that uses one skillet. Cheesy, hearty and filling.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
8 cups
Kitchen Scraps Vegetable Broth
Pot full of water with vegetables and herbs.

Kitchen Scraps Vegetable Broth

Use leftover veggie scraps to make a delicious broth to use in soups or cooking beans and grains!
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
40 minutes
Makes:
6 to 12 cups
Black Bean Brownies (with flour)
Black Bean Brownies on a plate

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
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
bottle of viniagrette and vegetable dishes

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Dress your winter greens and roasted vegetables with this fresh and colorful dressing.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
3/4 cup
Meatball Soup
Bowl of meatballs, rice and vegetable soup served with lime and cilantro.

Meatball Soup

A hearty meatball soup loaded with veggies, Italian herbs and flavorful broth.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
9 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.