Best pasta salad ever......?

Question

I need an out-of-this-world recipe for a pasta salad.
I am invited to a BBQ with co-workers at my new job and I want to impress.
Please do not give me a website. I want a recipe that you have tried and liked!

Answer 1

Here are a couple that are really fabulous

BEST PASTA SALAD

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut up
1 1/2 lbs. 3 color pasta, cooked and cooled
1 sm. can sliced black olives
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, cut up
1 sm. bottle Kikkoman teriyaki sauce
1 sm. bottle Seven Seas herb and spice salad dressing or Italian dressing
2 each red, yellow and green peppers, cut up

Mix pasta, chicken, olives, artichoke hearts and salad dressing. Add 1/2 - 3/4 teriyaki and peppers. Add more teriyaki as needed. Toss well and serve.


ORANGE CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

8 oz. pkg. shell pasta
2 c. chopped chicken, cooked
11 oz. can mandarin orange, drained
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. creamy Blue Cheese salad dressing
Lettuce leaves

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Combine pasta, chicken, oranges, celery, salt, pepper, mayonnaise and salad dressing, tossing lightly. Chill and serve on lettuce leaves.

Answer 2

This is my kids' favorite summer salad. I'm not a "measuring" type of person, so all quantities are purely guesstimates. My kids like this recipe "as is", but you could add some chopped ripe tomatoes or chopped sundried tomatoes to the mix. And I actually like this more "pasta" than "lettuce", so I tend to use two packages of tortellini and only one head of lettuce.

Ingredients:

1 flank steak or london broil
1-2 heads romaine lettuce
1 package cheese tortellini (I like the four-cheese and use refrigerated tortellini - not frozen or dried)
1 can small black olives
Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing
Shredded or shaved parmesan cheese
Homemade Croutons

Preparation:

Get a nice flank steak or london broil. Marinate it and then grill/broil it until medium or medium rare. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Then slice thinly on the diagonal. While the steak is cooking, cook the tortellini according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool.

Wash the romaine heads and cut up like for a regular salad. Combine the tortellini, olives and lettuce with the dressing and toss well to coat. (Can do this at the last minute so lettuce doesn't get soggy.)

Top the salad with the steak, homemade croutons and some shaved parmesan. Yummy!

Homemade Croutons: Remove the crust from 1/2 loaf of Italian, French or sourdough bread. Cut the bread into 3/4" to 1" cubes. Put them in a medium or large bowl and toss with some olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, salt & pepper -- whatever spices float your boat. Put on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 375 degrees until golden brown.

Answer 3

Here's a pasta salad that's great. PASTA SALAD : 1 (8 oz.) pkg. spiral pasta, 1 medium red or green pepper, chopped, 1/2 cup sliced pitted ripe olives, 2 TBSP. chopped fresh parsley, 2 cups chopped assorted fresh vegetables( carrots, squash, broccili, cauliflower, cucumbers, etc) , 1 (8oz.) bottle Italian dressing, 1 TBSP. Dijon mustard( optional), 1/4 tsp. pepper Cook pasta as directed on package; drain. In large bowl, toss pasta, vegetables, peppers, and olives. Blend mustard and pepper with small amount of Italian dressing in separate bowl. Pour over pasta mixture with enough additional dressing to coat. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Answer 4

Get the tri-color "screwdles" [the twisty kind] and cook them carefully so they're still a little firm - not mushy. Run cold water through them in a colander. While they're boiling, combine the following in a separate bowl: chopped celery, sliced olives, jar of pimiento bits, chopped red onion, cucumber cubes [remove seeds first before cutting up] and halved cherry tomatoes. Additionals: raw broccoli 'florets' in small bite-size pieces, cubes of hard cheese, bits of salami or ham. Combine the goodies with the cooled-down "screwdles", and dress with any kind fave dressings--we use vinaigrette with some balsamic vinegar added in for extra tang. If you've got fresh or flaked dry parsley, that goes in too--along with sprinkles of oregano or Italian seasoning mix. Hint: fix this early enuf in the day so all the ingredients & dressing can 'marry'...if too dry when you take it out of the fridge [stir it up to check], add a few drops more dressing or regular oil.

This is my personal favorite and goes with me to potluck events...it can be "prettied" up in a nice bowl with lettuce leaves around the edges [romaine is nicest]. All the colors look nice together too.

Answer 5

Pasta twists
boiled eggs
cooked peas
chopped onion
mayonnaise salt and pepper
Chopped boiled ham
A dash of mixed herbs


Cook pasta twists until al-dente Cool under cold running water, strain put into a large dish, add chopped eggs, and the rest of the ingredients . and chill for as long as you can, it tastes better actually the second day as it has had time to blend together.

You can also substitute the ham for prawns, this tastes just as nice.

Answer 6

I like this one... of course you don't have to use Scooby-Doo pasta!!
Ingredients:
Black Bean Pasta Salad
5 cup Scoobi-Do pasta or 5 cup cavatappi pasta or 5 cup rotini pasta, (about 12 oz)
1 x 19 oz can black beans, drained, and, rinsed
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
Coriander Pesto
1 cup packed fresh coriander
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp pine nuts or 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
Black Bean Pasta Salad
In pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but firm.
Drain and chill under cold water; drain.
Coriander Pesto
Meanwhile, in food processor, whirl coriander, oil and nuts until smooth; transfer to large bowl.
Stir in Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Answer 7

Here's my favorite, spinach orzo salad with feta.

1 cup orzo
1/2 bag fresh spinach
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 4oz. pkg of crumbled feta (flavor of choice, I like the lemon garlic herb one)
1 bunch of green onions
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1 little can of sliced black olives, drained

While you're boiling the orzo, chop up the spinach and onions. Drain the orzo and toss immediately with everything except the feta. Then add the lemon vinaigrette (follows) and then the feta.

1/3 cup olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 2 lemons
Big spoonful of minced garlic
Big pinch of dried oregano
Salt and pepper

Shake well and pour over the salad and toss.

Answer 8

my favorite recipe for a pot luck is 7 layer salad it looks great and is always a big hit
ingredients
lettuce
3 hard boiled eggs
1 can peas
1 pkg ham
1 cup elbow mac (cooked)
1 cup cheese
1 small onion
1 large tomato
dressing
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
pepper , season salt
find a large clear container. I use a pretzel container i got from Aldis's it works perfect

Now that you have your ingredients and container you just layer the ingredients then top with your mayo/sour cream dressing.

my favorite!

Answer 9

Pampered Chef's Jerk Chicken Salad is excellent!

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. Jerk Seasoning (or more, to taste)
1 pound chicken
1 medium pineapple (I use canned pineapple)
1 red bell pepper
3 green onions (white and light green parts only)
1 can black beans, drained (15 ounces)
1 pound rotini pasta
6 slices of bacon, crumbled

Dressing:
2 limes
1/3 cup Miracle Whip
2 Tbsp. pineapple preserves

* Mix together oil and Jerk seasoning. Add chicken and coat. Set aside.
*Cook chicken and pineapple. (I usually grill them, but you can cook them stovetop.)
*Cook rotini noodles, set aside
*Thinly slice pepper and onion. Set aside.
*Drain and rinse beans. Set aside.
*Make dressing: zest one lime AND juice the 2 limes into a large bowl. Add Miracle Whip and pineapple preserves to the bowl and mix well.
* Add all the ingredients to the large bowl and mix. Wait to add the bacon until you serve, as it gets funky.

This is an excellent alternative to regular pasta
salad! My family LOVES it!