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...
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
Pumpkin Fruit Dip
Pumpkin Fruit Dip
This quick and simple dip is creamy, full of warm spices, and perfect for dipping your favorite fall fruits.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
3 Cups
Ants on a Log
Ants on a Log
Have some fun with this snack! Peanut butter, raisins and your imagination can be used to fill and decorate crunchy celery sticks.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
4 servings
Roasted Asparagus
Roasted Asparagus
You only need 3 ingredients to make this tender asparagus dish. The perfect side to a variety of meals.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
3 Cups
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
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
3 cups


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!