what is an easy and yummy pasta salad recipie?

Answer 1

Basic Pasta Salad Recipe

3 cups pasta (cooked and drained)
2 cups chopped vegetables
½ cup Italian dressing (bottled oil based—not creamy)

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Mix with vegetables. Pour dressing over and lightly mix until everything is covered with dressing. Chill for at least an hour before serving. It’s best made the night before.

Tips for Good Results

Most any type of pasta cut in short sections will work with this recipe. Even basic macaroni noodles are fine. But, I think the spirals taste and look the best. My top picks are the colored spirals in green or mixed colors.

Firm vegetables work best. I generally use carrots, celery, and broccoli pieces. These stay crunchy and also have a nice color balance/contrast.

Any Italian dressing works fine—even the low fat. My favorite is Kraft zesty.

Variations

As I mentioned, any short cut noodles are good. It is harder to get the tube shaped ones mixed well with the dressing. In addition to spirals, the bowties and wagon wheels are good selections.

Any vegetable you use in basic green salads work well with this salad other than lettuce. Cucumbers, onions, and squash are other favorites that give this dish a different look and feel. Tomatoes can be added, but it’s better to put those in right before serving. If they go in early, they make the salad kind of watery, and the texture of the tomatoes starts breaking down fast.

There are seasoning packs designed for pasta salads. Those are good. I especially like McCormick though it is not available around here. Any homemade Italian dressing will work, and they all have slightly different flavors.

Answer 2

This is my absolute favorite and I have had several raves over this from friends! It's super quick and easy!

1 pkg of frozen cheese ravioli
Cut-up veggies (I like broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes, but use whatever you have on hand or whatever is on sale at the store!)
Italian dressing
GRATED Parmesan Cheese

Boil the ravioli according to the package directions. The one I use only takes about 3 minutes to cook, much less time than most other pastas, which helps in the "super quick" department. While I'm waiting for the water to boil, I chop up my veggies. I cook the broccoli and carrots in the microwave with just a little water for about 4 minutes. You only want them tendercrisp, not fully cooked. Once the ravioli is finished and drained, mix the veggies and ravioli in a large bowl, pour the Italian dressing over and mix. How much is entirely up to you. I usually use half a bottle but that's because I like a little more of the dressing flavor. Once everything is coated, pour about 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese over it and mix that in as well.

You can eat this right away, but it's MUCH better chilled in the refridgerator for a few hours! If I know I'm going to need it in the evening, I will make it up in the morning.

You can turn this into a "meal" with chicken strips mixed in (grilled or breaded, I have made it with both and they are both great!)

Hope you enjoy!

Answer 3

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad.

Boil one pound of pasta (I like shells or rotini) as directed on package.
Add one cup of frozen peas to the boiling pasta for the last 5 minutes.
Drain and cool the pasta by rinsing under cold running water.
Mix together:
1 cup of real mayonnaise.
1 package dry ranch dressing mix.
1 tablespoon lemon juice.
6 thin slices crisp bacon, crumbled.
1 bunch scallions, sliced, including most of green tops.
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Stir into the drained pasta and peas.
If it seems too dry, add more mayonnaise.
If it is too "thick" thin with a little milk.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Re-thin with milk if necessary before serving.

Bert

Answer 4

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 cups macaroni
1 (15 ounce) can mixed vegetables, drained
2 cups shredded lettuce
3 cups mayonnaise
1/4 tablespoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch garlic powder
DIRECTIONS
In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then shred with two forks. Set aside 4 cups of shredded meat.
In a medium pot with boiling salted water cook elbow macaroni until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together the cooked chicken, drained vegetables, shredded lettuce, and mayonnaise. Add basil, pepper, salt, and garlic powder to taste.
Add drained elbow macaroni to chicken mixture. Toss to coat.
Refrigerate for several hours before serving

Answer 5

I cook a bag of cheese tortellini - drain and rinse with cool water.
Then I boil a box of pasta (usually bowties or rotini/rotelle). Drain and rinse with cool water.
Then I mix them with chopped orange yellow or red peppers, baby corn (cut in thirds), frozen baby peas, blanched broccoli and, sometimes, black olives.
Toss with a good Italian dressing. Salt and pepper to taste.

Always gets good reviews and is very easy!

Answer 6

any kind of pasta, cook it, al dente, a little bite at the center, okay?

Mix either sour cream or mayo with some bottled mustard you already have, few drops of tobassco, no salt, you won't need it. That's a start. Add whatever as you go along. Waterchesnuts, sliced, chow mein noodles, celery sliced, etc.

experiment

Answer 7

Very very easy. The tri-colored spiral noodles(orange, green, yellow) with Ranch dressing. or italian. It's so easy and delicious.

Answer 8

cold spaghetti:

boil the pasta, add freshly diced red onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes. add chopped parsley, salt, pepper and olive oil, best when cold!