Showing posts with label pasta salad recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pasta salad recipes. Show all posts

6/06/2009

Quick and Easy Pasta Salad


Here's how to turn leftovers into something new and delicious - Quick and Easy Pasta Salad! Made this one up on the fly tonight, after coming home from baseball and a full day with the kids. I quickly stopped by the store on the way home and created a list of ingredients to add to the leftover cooked pasta in the fridge.

As with many of our recipes, experiment with the flavors you love best!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked whole wheat pasta (we used spiral pasta tonight)
1 6 oz. can black olives, sliced
1 diced red bell pepper
2 sliced scallions
2-3 T. prepared balsamic vinaigrette dressing (or make your own with 1 T. each olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste)
1 1/2 cups cooked diced chicken or tofu (rotisserie chicken is an easy shortcut)
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

try throwing in 1/2 c. chopped cherry tomatoes and/or artichoke hearts, too
extra delicious if you add fresh herbs like basil from your garden....

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and serve. Best if the flavors can marinate together for about 1/2-1 hour in the refrigerator before serving.

Enjoy with fresh baguettes, butter and happy children!

3/25/2009

Orzo and Bean Salad


A quick salad recipe that will take you 20 minutes, tops, is this favorite of mine: Orzo and Bean Salad.

Perfect for Vegetarians, and an excellent dish for spring and summer barbeques, I've been making this delicious, fresh-tasting salad for years.

The beans and pasta make it filling enough to stand in for main course!

Ingredients:

2/3 c. orzo pasta
1 can black beans
1 1/2 c. corn kernels
1 chopped tomato
1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 c. sliced green onions
1 t. grated lime zest
1/3 c. PLUS 1 T. lime juice

Directions:

Cook pasta until tender (about 10 minutes), then drain and rinse

In a large bowl, mix pasta together with remaining ingredients.

That's it! You'll have a delicious, fresh pasta salad that everyone can enjoy. If you like, serve with mashed avocado (or your homemade guacamole), sour cream and/or tortilla chips!