Whenever I eat at someone else’s home, I usually ask an inevitable question will often arise. It’s not, “where did you get those fabulous shoes?” or “where did you get that beautiful tablecloth?” It’s “can I have this recipe?”
Some recipes, like memories are passed down from generation to generation but others are adopted along the way, pulled from the sides of boxes, jar and cans. Last weekend, I was staying with my cousin and she made a simple pasta salad for a family barbecue. After dinner, I asked my cousin the million-dollar question: “can I have this recipe?”
It turned out that I already had it.
It couldn’t be easier to throw together on a lazy summer afternoon and was so tasty that you might forget that you’re eating something that isn’t exorbitantly fattening.
Simple Summer Pasta Salad
1-12 oz. package of tri-color rotini pasta
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cucumber, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 small bottle reduced-fat Italian salad dressing (I like Annie’s Organic but use your favorite)
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool. Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, celery, red pepper and carrots and toss with Italian dressing. Chill and serve.
Because I was born without the gene “to leave well enough alone” I decided to adapt what was a delicious side dish into a worknight dinner.
By adding some cubed cooked chicken that had been marinated in Italian dressing, and swapping the tri-color pasta for whole-wheat rotini, I wound up with a nice cold pasta dish to eat outside on a warm evening. With a mixture of carbohydrates and protein, this is a great post-gym one-bowl meal.
By adding some cubed cooked chicken that had been marinated in Italian dressing, and swapping the tri-color pasta for whole-wheat rotini, I wound up with a nice cold pasta dish to eat outside on a warm evening. With a mixture of carbohydrates and protein, this is a great post-gym one-bowl meal.
For a little extra flavor, I topped the whole thing off with some crumbled goat cheese and a little bit of fresh basil. If make the full recipe you’ll have plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day and to carry you through the week.
Here is that recipe, too:
Here is that recipe, too:
Simple Summer Pasta Salad, with chicken
1-12 oz. package of whole-wheat rotini pasta
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cucumber, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 small bottle reduced-fat Italian salad dressing (I like Annie’s Organic but use your favorite)
Fresh semi-soft goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
Fresh herbs (optional)
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool. Add chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, celery, red pepper and carrots and toss with Italian dressing. Chill and top with goat cheese and basil, if desired.
Fresh herbs (optional)
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool. Add chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, celery, red pepper and carrots and toss with Italian dressing. Chill and top with goat cheese and basil, if desired.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a lovely pasta dinner: I love food like this,…you can add vegetables if you want!
Ahhh cold pasta salads just scream summer! Sounds great!
this looks “lick your plate” good! LOL
cant beat this – and rotelles are so fun anyway…
What a pretty pasta salad – it looks so good!
YUM, that looks SO refrehsing and delicious. Nothing like a cold pasta salad any time! Gorgeous too!
What a perfect way to get Mr. and Ms. I-Hate-Vegetables to eat (and like) summer veggies.
one can NEVER go wrong with a (yummy!) pasta salad in the summer. absolutely love it.
I’ve just bookmarked this recipe – definitely gonna give it a go!
I love making pasta salads, they are so good.
I will try yours for sure. Usually I will cook pasta, add some ham cubes, veggies and add Paul Newman’s Italian Dressing.
I haven’t done that for a long time! thanks for sharing the recipe!
What a great picture. Makes me want to eat that NOW!
This looks delish..I think Ill try it with orzo.Thanks Figtreeapps
Great simple weeknight meal Maris! I like the idea of using tri colour pasta too to make it colourful and echo the other ingredients!
looks delicious! I love your recipes so much.
Love it… I was just talking about pasta salad today, now I want some!
I love the idea of adding chicken to pasta salad.
You know, I once thought my family had a special recipe that had been handed down from generation to generation because it was written on faded paper, until I found the same recipe on the side of a box. I’m still trying to get over the disappointment.
Very delicious and perfect summer pasta. Yum!
what a coincidence–i’m lacking that gene too! great salad, maris–colorful, healthy, easy, and tasty. in other words, it’s full of win.
No cheese?
Lots of good stuff in that salad!
So, I printed this out last night. After work today I drove past McDonalds and went straight to the grocery store. I actually tried cooking for once and it didn’t suck!
I may even try the Baked Penne with Spinach Sausage tomorrow… maybe.
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