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)

Quick Lasagna
Skillet of layered flat pasta, beef, sauce and cheese.

Quick Lasagna

This lasagna uses just one pan and is ready in 45 minutes.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
9 cups
Quick No-Cook Pizza Sauce
Tomato sauce blend being shown spread onto pizza dough.

Quick No-Cook Pizza Sauce

A quick and easy pizza sauce full of rich and tangy tomato flavor and Italian herbs.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
3 Cups
Banana Bobs
A fork is used to dip chunks of banana into yogurt and then into granola for a simple snack.

Banana Bobs

Easy snack or dessert with creamy yogurt, banana and whole-grain oats. A fun and creative recipe for kids!
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
2 Servings
Mashed Turnips and Potatoes
Bowl of seasoned and mashed potatoes and turnips.

Mashed Turnips and Potatoes

A creamy blend of root vegetables mashed and flavored with sour cream and garlic.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
20 minutes
Makes:
3 cups
Zucchini Stir-Fry
Small bowl with a tender zucchini and vegetable mix.

Zucchini Stir-Fry

Fast veggie stir-fry with lots of umami flavor. Ready in less than 30 minutes!
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
10 minutes
Makes:
4 cups
Glazed Carrots and Cranberries
Tender carrot slices with dried cranberries in a small bowl.

Glazed Carrots and Cranberries

This recipe combines savory and sweet ingredients for a delicious side dish.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
3 cups minutes
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.