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)

Chicken Creole
Tender chicken cooked in a tomato and spice-based sauce served over a bowl of pasta.

Chicken Creole

Quick and easy recipe that is full of flavor and ready in under an hour.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
10 cups
Vegetarian Tofu Enchiladas
Casserole dish with a tofu and vegetable mix topped with black olives and cilantro.

Vegetarian Tofu Enchiladas

Tofu provides protein while mushrooms provide texture and umami flavor in these easy enchiladas.
Prepare:
30 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
8 pieces
Veggie Skillet Eggs
Pan of vegetable and egg mix topped with tomato slices.

Veggie Skillet Eggs

Quick and healthy breakfast packed with veggies and cheddar cheese.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
5 minutes
Makes:
8 wedges
Spring Fling Vegetable Chowder
Bowl of soup with asparagus and potatoes topped with cheddar cheese.

Spring Fling Vegetable Chowder

A delicious chowder packed with spring vegetables, hearty potatoes and topped with cheddar cheese.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
8 cups
Strawberry Swirl
Frothy pink strawberry drinks in glasses.

Strawberry Swirl

Strawberries and apple juice blended together to make a refreshing and tasty drink.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
2 cups
Herbed Yogurt Sauce
Small bowl of a creamy, white sauce.

Herbed Yogurt Sauce

Homemade creamy yogurt sauce blended with parsley, mint and cilantro.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
2 ½ 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.