I like cold pasta salads however, some can take up so much work. This one, however, only took me 30 minutes. It is great for that leftover meat and other ingredients that you want to use but don't know what to do with them.
Here are the ingredients I used to make this one: Feel free to use whatever is in your pantry to make your own quick and easy pasta salad recipe.
Easy Pasta Salad Recipe
Easy Pasta Salad Ingredients:
4 cups of dried pasta (I used small Fusilli pasta.)
1 cup of red peppers chopped into small pieces
1 cup of cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup of zucchini peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 cup of red kidney beans (rinsed)
1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese cubed
2/3 - 3/4 cup of favorite salad dressing (I created a Dijon mustard with oregano, white wine vinegar, and olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste)
Easy Pasta Salad Instructions:
First, I cooked the pasta coordinating to the recipe.
Then, I drained it and placed the pasta on a cookie sheet to cool off. It worked pretty well. After about 5 minutes, I added the zucchini, then, beans, red pepper, cheddar cheese, and cherry tomatoes.
Then, I mixed them and transferred them to the bowl and used a little of the salad dressing and tossed it together. I added a little more until it was just wet and not too much dressing coating the pasta. I prefer it not to be extremely wet.
Then, I covered the bowl and placed it in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Then, toss it again and add more dressing if needed.
Enjoy!
Here is the recipe if you want to print it.
Save to BigOven A cold salad recipe for a crowd.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of dried pasta (I used small Fusilli pasta.)
- 1 cup of red peppers chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup of zucchini peeled and chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup of red kidney beans (rinsed)
- 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese cubed
- 2/3 - 3/4 cup of favorite salad dressing (I created a Dijon mustard with oregano, white wine vinegar, and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste)
Instructions
- First, I cooked the pasta coordinating to the recipe.
- Then, I drained it and placed the pasta on a cookie sheet to cool off. It worked pretty well. After about 5 minutes, I added the zucchini, then, beans, red pepper, cheddar cheese, and cherry tomatoes.
- Then, I mixed them and transferred them to the bowl and used a little of the salad dressing and tossed it together. I added a little more until it was just wet and not too much dressing coating the pasta. I prefer it not be extremely wet.
- Then, I covered the bowl and placed it in the refrigerator for a few hours.
- Then, toss it again and add more dressing if needed.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Quick and Easy Pasta Salad
Serves: 12
| Amount Per Serving 1 cup | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 230.51 kcal | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 3.98 g | 6.1% | |
| Saturated Fat 1.96 g | 9.8% | |
| Trans Fat 0.11 g | ||
| Cholesterol 9.61 mg | 3.2% | |
| Sodium 66.92 mg | 2.8% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 37.3 g | 12.4% | |
| Dietary Fiber 3.99 g | 16% | |
| Sugars 2.45 g | ||
| Protein 10.66 g | ||
| Vitamin A 5.71 % | Vitamin C 22.66 % | |
| Calcium 8.85 % | Iron 9.06 % | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Sabrinas Organizing
Looking for some great pasta bowls, here are some I found at Amazon:
Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.
Saving this - can't wait to try it!