Skip to main content

Personalized Pasta Salad

Enjoy this quick salad in less than 30 minutes.
Bowl of spiral pasta, chicken and vegetables.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: 4 cups
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked pasta, such as macaroni or rotini
½ cup salad dressing 
2 cups cooked, cubed protein (see Notes)
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 medium bell pepper (any color), cut in 1-inch pieces
½ medium red onion, diced
1 can (4 ounces) sliced black olives

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
  3. Measure 6 cups of water into a large sauce pan.
  4. Bring water to a boil over high heat and add pasta. Cook until tender (about 8 to 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly. Drain well.
  5. Add dressing to pasta and toss lightly.
  6. Add protein and vegetables and toss again.
  7. Chill until ready to serve.
  8. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

  • Try cooked beans, tofu, chicken, beef, pork, tuna, salmon, turkey, shrimp, or hard-boiled egg for the chicken.
  • Try Food Hero's Red Wine Vinaigrette for your salad dressing.

Comments

I thought this would be a great summer lunch recipe. I personalized it a little more and added canned artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, and green onions. I used a balsamic vinegarette dressing and topped it with a little more balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper for added flavor. I used store-bought rotisserie chicken, which made this a quick and easy recipe. So flavorful, simple, and quick!

I used this recipe at an after school program and I had the kids choose their own add ins to the pasta so it was truly personalized. They loved it!

You might also like...

Recipes A to Z (without photos)

Mexican Adobo Sauce
Medium bowl of thick, red adobo sauce served with tacos.

Mexican Adobo Sauce

Mexican adobo sauce is an all-purpose marinade made of dried hot peppers, spices and vinegar. This sauce gives big flavor to a wide variety of dishes. Thanks to the OSU Latin Heritage Work Group for this tasty recipe.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
25 minutes
Makes:
2 ½ cups
Green and Orange Chicken Salad
Large bowl of mandarin orange and chicken salad.

Green and Orange Chicken Salad

A bright and flavorful salad with a toasty soy dressing.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Makes:
12 cups
Quick Tomato Salsa
Medium bowl of diced tomato salsa with cilantro.

Quick Tomato Salsa

Canned tomatoes and fresh herbs make a quick and flavorful salsa.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
2 cups
Black Bean Soup
A bowl of warming soup with black beans and vegetables, garnished with herbs.

Black Bean Soup

A simple soup with black beans, tomatoes, herbs and a hint of lime. One-pot meal ready in an hour!
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
12 cups
Microwave Pear Sauce
Bowl of chunky textured mashed pears topped with spices.

Microwave Pear Sauce

Enjoy this easy-to-make pear sauce as a fruit snack, or as a topping for pancakes or French toast.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
10 minutes
Makes:
4 cups
Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Muffins with golden brown tops and moist texture.

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Easy make-ahead breakfast or snack with banana and whole grains.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
20 minutes
Makes:
12 Muffins
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.