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...
Cauliflower Salad
Cauliflower Salad
Tender veggies with a creamy dressing make a perfect side dish. Great for summer BBQs!
Prepare:
20 minutes
Makes:
5 Cups
Smashed Garbanzo Bean Salad
Smashed Garbanzo Bean Salad
Garbanzo beans and crunchy vegetables make a delicious sandwich filling or chunky dip.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Makes:
3 cups
Eggplant Omelet (Tortang Talong)
Eggplant Omelet (Tortang Talong)
A delicious Filipino dish of baked eggplant dipped in egg and cooked in a skillet. Try it for any meal!
Prepare:
20 to 30 minutes
Cook:
10 minutes
Makes:
2 servings
Popeye Power Smoothie
Popeye Power Smoothie
This tasty green smoothie is sweet, creamy and refreshing. Kids love it!
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
4 cups
Wheat Berry Salad
Wheat Berry Salad
Whole grains and fresh vegetables make this salad filling and satisfying.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
60 minutes
Makes:
6 Cups
Eggplant Pizza Slices
Eggplant Pizza Slices
Cheesy, melty and topped with a dash of crunchy breadcrumbs.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
20 minutes
Makes:
8 Slices


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!