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...
Kitchen Scraps Vegetable Broth
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
Radish and Cucumber Salad
Radish and Cucumber Salad
Crisp cucumbers, radishes, creamy yogurt and flavorful garlic make this the perfect summer salad.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
5 cups
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
6 cups
Slow Cooker Beans
Slow Cooker Beans
Making beans in the slow cooker is easy and can save you money. Season them the way you like and make enough to freeze for more easy meals.
Prepare:
5 minutes + 6 hours soaking
Cook:
4 to 6 hours
Makes:
6 cups
Atole with Oats
Atole with Oats
If you like oatmeal and cinnamon, try this variation of a traditional Mexican warm drink.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
15 to 20 minutes
Makes:
2 servings
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
12 Tablespoons


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!