pasta salad recipes?

[gidget1]

I have been to several gatherings lately that someone has brought cold pasta salads. I have asked for recipes but have yet to get one. Anyone willing to share their favorite pasta salad recipe?

[Robyn]

This is probably not what you have in mind, but it's the only one I make. It's not one of the pasta salad with oil recipes, this one has mayonaise. The other problem is that I just make it, I don't have a recipe!

1 box of small shells, cooked according to directions
chopped celery
chopped purple onion
light mayo
tarragon vinegar
2 cans tiny shimp
1 small frozen bag of cooked small shrimp
1/4 cup of shredded carrot

Seasonings:

OLD BAY seasoning
Whole celery seed
paprika
pepper


Drain the tiny shimp cans (save this water to add to you furbaby's food-they will worship you for it! ) Rinse well. Thaw frozen shrimp in cool running water, drain. Add the cooked shells, enough mayo, the chopped celery, onion and maybe a Tablespoon of the vinegar, maybe a little less. Generously season with the Old bay and celery seed. Season lightly with paprika and pepper. Toss well, chill.

This is a very pretty salad and everyone seems to enjoy it. The tiny shimp sort of disapear but they add the flavor. You can also make it with the medium shell but if you do, use larger frozen shrimp so that they look size appropriate.

[myrocky]

Marcia pasta salad is super easy, you will have no trouble making it! It is a pretty much go with the flow kind of concoction........

Start out with some sort of pasta, like rotillie, elbows, bowties...what ever you like. This last time I made it I used rigitonis. Cook the pasta like normal but you don't want it tooo soft or it will get mushie with the dressing. After it is cooked, drain it and run cold water over it for a few minutes so the pasta cools down and the cooking process stops. Then get your ingredients of what you would like to add in the salad. I usually chop up some tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion or green onion, a bell pepper and mix it together. Sometimes I had pepperoni and cubed chedder cheese. Mix it together and add your dressing which is typically Italian dressing. There are many varieties of Italian dressing so have fun with it. I have found what works best for us is to make my own dressing with the packets. I use red wine vinegar and olive oil and follow the directions on the packet. Just pour the dressing on the salad and mix it up and put in the fridge if you are not going to eat it right away. Mix it again before serving and you might have to add a bit more dressing as it tends to get absorbed. Good luck! Pasta salad is sooo yummy

[kgf73]

8 ounces rotini pasta

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

2 cloves large garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons crushed dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water and drain.

In a bowl combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper; whisk well and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, cucumber, tomatoes and olives. Mix with dressing; toss well to coat. Gently fold in feta cheese. Refrigerate until served.
***Serves 6

[trudy]

Antipasto Pasta Salad YUMMY!!

Box of Any shape Pasta
Red Pepper (raw diced)
Green Pepper (raw diced)
Provolone cheese (diced into cubes)
Pepperoni
Black olives
Marinated Artichoke hearts (optional)
Red Onion (diced)

Dressing:
3/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup White Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup sugar


(Anything else you want sometimes I add raw diced zucchini or raw diced summer squash)

Mix the dressing in a separate bowl, combine the Pasta and all your veggies, pour the dressing over the Pasta Veggie mix and marinate overnight...

[gidget1]

You guys are the best!!! They all sound delicious and as hot as it's been my family would eat them as fast as I can make them. I'll give them all a try and let you know how they go over. Thanks again.

[binky]

1 Box Small Penne Pasta
1/2 Package Pepperoni (the pre-sliced stuff)
1 small onion - diced
1 Green Pepper - diced
1 Yellow Pepper - diced
1 Red Pepper - diced
1 Jar Sun Dried Tomatoes (in oil)
1 Bottle Giardi's Champagne Dressing
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese
Garlic to taste (fresh or already minced in the bottle)

Boil pasta according to directions, rinse, drain.
Cut sliced pepperoni into bite-size pieces
Pour tomatoes into a bowl, reserving oil. Cut up tomatoes into pieces as best you can.
Combine pasta, onion, peppers, tomatoes, pepperoni in a big bowl.
Add approx. 1/2 bottle of Champagne dressing (more or less to taste)
Add "some" Olive oil
Add "some" of the sun dried tomato oil from the jar
Mix thoroughly together
Add parmesan cheese and continue to mix until well combined.
Cover and refrigerate several hours (best if over night) to marinate the flavors together. Keeps well for several days.


My measurements are approximate, as I don't really follow a recipe. Add however much you like of the ingredients. You can also add any type of fresh veggie you'd like. I've used diced carrots, chopped broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Add as much/little garlic as you like. You can always add a little more dressing and/or olive oil after refrigerating for a while, in the event the salad is too dry.

[boxerluvrz]

For 1 12 or 16oz bag of macaroni pasta. The American beauty brand makes 12 oz bags called salad roni (pasta noodles)
4 hard boiled eggs chopped small
1 stalk of celery, chopped small
1 whole green onion
1 dill pickle, chopped
1 half can chopped black olives
1/2 jar of sliced pimento's
mayo, to taste, but enough
mustard, to taste
salt&pepper, to taste
paprika, enough to get all over it.

Everyone likes different amount of mayo, mustard, salt, and papper. But is very yummy. Try it and let me know. We love our pasta's too being italian!!

[Clover's Mom]

Quick and easy:

1 pkg spiral pasta in different colors
1 can black olives
1 pkg pepperoni (cut in half)
1/2 head broccoli (chopped finely)
1 cup cheddar cheese cubes
1 cup jack cheese cubes
1 cup swiss cheese cubes
1 bottle of Itilian dressing
1/2 to 3/4 bottle of Red Wine Vinegar dressing

Cook pasta, cool. add the rest of ingredients and you got it...it's so much better the next day!!!!