#2,640: Mediterranean Pasta Salad (GF)

I love my veggies and pasta, so I was excited to make this Mediterranean pasta salad.  Then I started making the recipe and couldn't believe how much tomatoes and cucumber this recipe called for, so I halved both of the ingredients.  2 cucumbers for 8 oz of pasta....that's insane to me! I really, really enjoyed this pasta salad.  I personally would have loved to add some feta to it too, but not everyone in our house is a feta fan (how is that possible?!)  I love the oil and vinegar dressing on this too.  I would definitely make this again!

8 ounces penne pasta (I used 12 oz of gluten free fusili)

4 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (I used 2 cups...4 was A LOT)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, adjust to taste

1 teaspoon fresh black pepper, adjust to taste

2 cups cucumbers, chopped small (I used 1 cucumber)

6 ounce can whole black olives, drained and halved

1/4 cup red onion, sliced very thin and chopped small

10 large fresh basil leaves, sliced very thin, about 2 tablespoons

2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped small

Bring a large pot of water to a boil along with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, but do not rinse the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, combine the tomatoes, oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium-size bowl. Stir and let sit while assembling the rest of the salad.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cucumbers, olives, red onion, and cooked pasta. Add the tomatoes and all of the juices from the bowl. Stir to coat everything in the dressing.

Sprinkle with basil and parsley and toss again. Taste the salad and add more salt and pepper as needed. Serve or refrigerator until ready to eat. Enjoy!

#1,398: Homemade Antipasto Salad

Disclaimer: This fantastic photo is NOT mine.  I cannot find the picture I took anywhere!  This photo is from of Taste of Home.

My family is known for making the pasta salad that has salad supreme (and a lot of it!!) in the dressing mixed with Italian salad dressing.  It's not my favorite salad that my mom makes (shhh...don't tell her), BUT although I liked this pasta salad better, I thought it lacked a lot of flavor and seasoning.  I loved the dressing but it needed something more.  Like maybe a little bit of salad supreme or seasoned salt or something!  I would make this again though...but continue to work on the spices and seasonings.

The original recipe states that the amounts/quantities below is for FIFTY servings, so adjust accordingly!!!

2 packages (1 pound each) spiral pasta
4 cups chopped green peppers
4 cups chopped seeded tomatoes (I used canned petite diced tomatoes b/c I was lazy)
3 cups chopped onions
2 cans (15 ounces each) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 pound thinly sliced Genoa salami, julienned
1 pound sliced pepperoni, julienned (I omitted)
1/2 pound provolone cheese, cubed (I used shredded parmesan)
1 cup pitted ripe olives, halved

DRESSING:
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups olive oil

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water. In several large bowls, combine pasta, green peppers, tomatoes, onions, beans, salami, pepperoni, cheese and olives.

Place vinegar, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper in a blender. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream. Pour over pasta salad; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, 4 hours or overnight. Yield: 50 (3/4-cup) servings.

#950: Layered Pasta Salad

(I took this before I went to a party so the tomatoes are not on top yet.  I added those at the last minute.)

 

This is a great make ahead recipe/pasta salad.  I used a whole box of shell noodles so I doubled the dressing.  I didn't need to.  I thought this was super over-dressed.  Next time I'll probably make 1 1/2 batches of the dressing instead.  I loved this though.  I decided I wasn't going to like the ham in this so I used bacon instead...good call.  Next time I'm going to use turkey bacon since it's a little crunchier. 

 3 cups medium pasta shells, cooked, drained

1 large red onion, sliced
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen peas, thawed, drained
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Smoked Ham, chopped (I used 12 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled)
½ cup Real Mayo Mayonnaise
½ cup Classic Ranch Dressing
1 cup Natural Three Cheese Crumbles
1 cup halved grape tomatoes

Layer the first 4 ingredients in clear 3-qt. serving bowl.  Mix mayo and dressing; spread over salad, sealing to edge of bowl. Top with cheese and tomatoes.  Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Toss gently before serving.

 

#935: Penne Fresca Salad

This salad is missing something....something green.  :)  Spinach!  I made this to eat with my lunch this week but I was afraid if I added the spinach it would wilt and I'd end up eating around it and picking it out.  So I made it and took a picture w/out the spinach (mainly because I knew I would eat this and forget to take a picture WITH the spinach).  Hopefully I'll remember tomorrow and I can update this. 
 
Anyhow, this is a pretty good salad.  Well, it's not really a salad, it's more of a pasta salad.  It's still good though.  I didn't think I'd enjoy the sundried tomatoes but it gives it a nice flavor.  I cut down on the olive oil in this and it definitely is a little dry, but that's okay for me.  I will definitely make this again, either for lunch, dinner, or to bring as a side dish to a gathering. 
 
1lb penne or ziti
½ pint container grape tomatoes 
½ cup sun dried tomatoes 
½ lb celingini (small mozzarella balls) 
1 large handful of baby arugula (I intend to use spinach)
½ cup sliced garlic
2 tbsp of olive oil
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the penne in salted boiling hot water according to package directions making sure that the pasta is al dente. Once the pasta is done cooking rinse in cold water and set aside.
Slice the sundried tomatoes into slivers and cut the celingini in half. Set these aside separately. – In a frying pan add the 2 tbsp of olive oil and heat to medium high.  Add the sliced garlic and cook till it starts to turn somewhat golden. At this point add the sundried tomato slivers and cook for about 1 minute while stirring. Take these immediately off of the burner and transfer the garlic and sundried tomato slivers on to a cool plate to cool.
Once the garlic and sundried tomato slivers are at room temperature mix together with the penne in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss all together. Taste and adjust seasoning.

#736: Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

I can tell you with 100% certainty this recipe has too much ranch dip/sauce. It is super, super thick and personally, over powering.  Next time I will either cut down on the sour cream and mayo or I'll add a lot more pasta and veggies.  Other than that, I thought this was good, not great, but good.  Did you ever have the boxed BLT pasta salad?  It actually tastes a lot like it, except with real veggies instead of freeze-dried ones.  Would I make this again?  Yes.  Would I make this often?  No.

1 lb medium shell pasta
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 lg cucumber
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1-1 1/2 cups cooked and chopped bacon
1 pk dry Ranch mix
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream

Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water until pasta is cool. Drain and pour into a large bowl. 

Halve the tomatoes and add to the pasta. Peel the cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise. Using a teaspoon, remove all the seeds. Cut each half of the cucumber in half lengthwise again and give it a small/medium chop. You want it to be slightly smaller than your shells. Add your cucumber and thawed peas to the pasta. 

In a small bowl, mix together dry Ranch mix, bacon bits, mayonnaise and sour cream together. Pour over pasta mixture and toss until well combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve. 

#640: Seashells with Basil, Tomatoes, and Garlic

I also made this recipe to eat at the family White Sox/Tailgate party this weekend.  I put all of it together the night before except the shaved parmesan and basil.  I just added that in the morning we were going to eat this, and then tossed it all together one last time. 

Although I really enjoyed this recipe and will definitely make it again, we all agreed it was good, but bland.  It needed some more salt, pepper and maybe some Italian seasoning or something.  Just not much flavor beyond the garlic and olive oil. 

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
3/4 t. sea salt
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1 pt. small cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 lb medium seashell pasta
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, shaved
1/2 c. thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1 container of fresh mozzarella balls (I quartered mine)
Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes and salt.  Add tomatoes and let sit for about 15-30 minutes for flavors to blend. 

Meanwhile, cook pasta as package directs for al dente in a large pot of salted water. When done, drain and toss pasta with tomato mixture, then with the cheese, basil and mozzarella balls.  Mix well to combine.

#636: Do-Ahead Summer Pasta Salad

I made this recipe for the girls and I to eat for lunch.  I didn't think they would be fans of this recipe and I was correct.  Too many veggies in this and they didn't like the cheese.  It didn't stop me from making them try it though!

Unfortunately neither girl enjoyed this (nor would eat much of it) and I thought it was bland and just ok.  There are too many other really good pasta salads out there so I won't be making this one again.  It wasn't bad, just not great.

Dressing:
3 tablespoons canola or olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Salad

1 c uncooked penne pasta (I used tri-color rotini)
10 oz frozen soybeans (I substituted corn b/c I was out of edamame) :(

2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 medium cucumber, coarsely chopped
2 small yellow bell peppers, coarsely chopped

3 oz cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

In small bowl, beat all dressing ingredients with wire whisk until well mixed.
Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain.
Meanwhile, cook soybeans as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain.
In large bowl, toss pasta, soybeans, remaining salad ingredients and dressing. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

#600: Greek Pasta Salad

This recipe was a huge hit with our extended family and friends.  I made it all the night before and just added the feta cheese right before serving.  It was wonderful!  We will definitely be making this again. 

1 1/2 tablespoons salt
12 ounces bite-size pasta, your choice
2 cups medium diced seedless cucumber
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse
1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Ground black pepper

Bring 3 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. Add salt and pasta to the boiling water. Using back-of-the-box times as a guide, cook pasta until just tender. Drain pasta (do not rinse), pour into a shallow baking pan, and cool to room temperature. (I rinsed mine slightly because I didn't want to wait to cool it to room temperature).

When ready to serve, place pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, feta, olives, onion, and oregano in a large bowl, Add oil; toss to coat. Add vinegar and pepper to taste; toss to coat. Adjust seasonings and serve.

#598: Summer-in-a-Bowl Pasta Salad

I absolutely enjoy eating pasta salads.  They are the perfect dish to bring to a potluck, picnic or gathering because you can make it ahead of time.  This dish suggests eating warm, but personally I enjoyed it better the next day after it sat in the fridge and got cold. 

8 oz. farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, halved, sliced (3 cups)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups fresh corn kernels (I used 1 bag of thawed frozen corn)
1 orange, yellow or red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, sliced (1 cup)
1 large tomato, chopped (1 1/4 cups)
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/3 cup slightly packed chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook and stir onion 1 minute. Stir in garlic; cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add corn, bell pepper and zucchini; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until barely crisp-tender. Stir in tomato, 1/4 cup of the cheese, cream, reserved pasta water, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil; boil 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Add pasta to skillet. Toss with basil and chives; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
4 (2-cup) servings

#555: Mexican Pasta Salad

Of all of the meals and recipes I made this Memorial Day weekend, I'll admit, this was my least favorite.  It wasn't bad, I just didn't love it.  It was very easy to prepare and throw together though.  It makes a lot too.  We ate it for 3 meals...which to me is not a huge winner.  It never should have had that many leftovers in my opinion. 

2 cups small shell pasta
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup fresh or chunky salsa (medium or hot)
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1 cup pitted black olives, coarsely chopped
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (5 ounces) canned green chilies, drained
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (I omitted because I didn't have any on hand)

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain.
Meanwhile, put the lime juice in a large serving bowl. Whisk in the oil in a slow steady stream until incorporated. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, and salsa.


Add the hot pasta to bowl and stir to combine. Stir in the bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, beans, chilies, and cilantro or parsley. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

#519: BLT Pasta Salad

I made this recipe to take with for Easter/Annie's Birthday Party.  I found this recipe on a blog called a bird and a bean, but it is originally a Food Network Recipe.  It got very mixed reviews, not because of the taste, but because of the nutritional information.  I'm not as concerned with that because I used a lot of low fat products and I don't plan to eat the entire bowl!

Personally I really liked this.  You definitely don't want to add the lettuce until you are ready to eat it though because it gets soggy if it sits too long.  Doesn't make good leftovers because of that, unless you want to pick out/around the lettuce (which I did). 

I would make this again, but I didn't love it.  It was very good though.

12 ounce corkscrew shaped pasta (I used tri-color)

1/2 cup milk (I used skim)

12 ounces lean bacon (I used turkey bacon)

3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (I used dried basil instead)

1 clove garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup mayo (I used light mayo)

1/4 cup sour cream (I used low fat sour cream)

4 tablespoons chopped chives

5 cups chopped romaine hearts

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

(I omitted this step to make it a little healthier, and just added the tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt, pepper and cooked turkey bacon to the pasta). Discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper. Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta.

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and 3 tablespoons chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper.  If you are not serving this right away, stop after this step.  Do not add the lettuce until ready to serve or it will get wilty and soft.

Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Garnish with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve at room temperature.

#507: Italian Basil Pasta Salad

I made this to eat with our Ham and Cheese Calzones and also to eat for lunches this week.  I made some adjustments though because I didn't have all of the ingredients on hand, nor do I like all of the original ingredients listed.  The original recipe makes a HUGE batch (serves 18), so I cut this down a lot. 

I really, really enjoyed this.  It's lacking a little seasoning, so it could use a little more garlic, basil and salt, but other than that I thought it was good!

Salad:
1 package (16 ounces) bow tie pasta

2 cups grape tomatoes

7 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed (I used shredded mozzarella)

1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped (I used red pepper)

1 small red onion, chopped

1/2 cup pickled banana pepper rings (I omitted)

1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained

4 thin slices hard salami, diced

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Dressing:

3/4 cup olive oil

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

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

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes, cheese, yellow pepper, onion, pepper rings, olives, salami and basil.
In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

#354: Greek Pasta Salad

Well I am very sad to report that it is back to school time for this family.  Let's pause for a moment of silence as we say farewell to summer.........{insert lots of tears}

Okay, I'll continue mourning, but will try to go on...

Where was I?  Oh yes, back to school means I have to start making lunches again.  So I figured I'd start my work week (gag) with a summer pasta salad.  I LOVED this!  In fact, I ate it all week.  I've considered making it again for lunch next week too, but I guess I should try something new.

Dressing:

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

Salad:

Salt

1 pound gemelli or other short pasta

3/4 medium English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 dry pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved (I omitted)

6 ounces feta, crumbled

3 cups firmly packed baby spinach

Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil until well combined.

Make salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes, or as label directs. Drain, rinse under cold water and transfer to a bowl. Add remaining ingredients, toss with dressing and serve.

#45: Farfalle with Sweet Corn, Ricotta & Bacon

I found this recipe in one of my Parenting Magazines.  I decided to make it for my extended family when we all got together yesterday.  I had really high hopes for this one, and was a bit disappointed.  However, I was looking for a cold pasta salad and THOUGHT this would be okay cool or at room temperature; I was wrong.  This would have been MUCH better served immediately and still warm.  The recipe also says to save the pasta water, which I did and used what was called for, but threw away the rest.  I should have saved it!  As this pasta sits, it becomes dry, and extra water would have helped this one.  As we ate it, this only got about 2 -3 stars from most people.  Served warm with extra liquid, it probably would have gotten 3 1/2 - 4.

8 oz farfalle pasta

3 slices turkey bacon
2 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn, thawed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped

1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water Drain pasta, and return to pot.

2.While the pasta is cooking, fry the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until bacon is crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

3.Add the olive oil to the skillet, then the shallots. Sauté 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds, until just fragrant. Add the corn, tossing for about 2 minutes to combine. Season with the salt and pepper.

4.Add the corn mixture to the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the ricotta, parmesan, and reserved pasta cooking water, and toss well. (The sauce may seem runny but it will set up.) Stir in the basil, then spoon into serving bowls. Crumble some of the bacon over each serving.