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...
Fiesta Barley Salad
Fiesta Barley Salad
A bright and colorful salad with a combination of grains, veggies and fruit.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
7 cups
Herbed Yogurt Sauce
Herbed Yogurt Sauce
Homemade creamy yogurt sauce blended with parsley, mint and cilantro.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
2 ½ cups
Garden Vegetable Cakes
Garden Vegetable Cakes
A simple snack or meal full of veggies and parmesan cheese, with hints of lemon and dill.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
8 cakes
Dry-Roasted Garbanzo Beans
Dry-Roasted Garbanzo Beans
Enjoy these protein and fiber-filled garbanzo beans as a snack, or add them to your favorite dishes for crispy texture.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
4 cups
Salmon Salad Mix
Salmon Salad Mix
A delicious and vitamin-packed alternative to tuna salad, this salmon salad is made with tangy pickles, low-fat yogurt and a bit of creamy mayonnaise.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Makes:
1 ½ cup
Spinach with Garbanzo Beans
Spinach with Garbanzo Beans
Garlicky, tender garbanzo beans sauteed with spinach for a warm and delicious meal.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
4 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!