Saturday, August 21, 2010

Does anyone have a good, cold pasta salad recipe?

A recipe where there is tri-color rotini pasta, sliced black olives, finely cubed red bell pepper that IS NOT mayonnaise/salad spread based.Does anyone have a good, cold pasta salad recipe?
Here are a couple:





Pasta Salad


Ingredients


1 tablespoon olive oil


2 tablespoons salt


1 pound pasta, small tubes, rotini or shells


3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil


3/4 cup black olives


1/2 cup red pepper, cubed


2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced


1 large red onion, diced


3 pickles, diced


2 bunches fresh oregano, leaves only, chopped


1/3 cup red wine vinegar


3 dashes hot sauce


Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Directions


Bring 1 gallon salted water to a rolling boil in a large stockpot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and pasta, and cook until al dente, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, shaking vigorously, and immediately transfer to an oiled cookie sheet or clean countertop to cool. When cool, transfer to a bowl, and toss with 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.


Mix all remaining ingredients in a bowl. Toss with pasta, adjust seasonings, and serve.


***


Mac and Jack Salad


Ingredients


1 pound macaroni elbows, rotini or cavatappi pasta


Salt


1 cup frozen corn, defrosted


1 red bell pepper, chopped


1 small red onion, chopped


4 ribs celery, chopped


Black pepper


8-ounce brick Monterey pepper jack cheese, diced


2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, eyeball it


1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it


1 cup store bought tomatillo salsa (mild, green) or chipotle salsa (hot, smoky red)


2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves or flat-leaf parsley


Directions


Bring water to a boil, salt it and add pasta.


While pasta water is coming up to a boil and cooking, combine corn, pepper, onion and celery in a bowl with pepper Jack cheese. Season the veggies with salt and pepper.


Run pasta under cold water to cool it and drain it well. Add pasta to vegetables and cheese.


Place vinegar in a small bowl and whisk in extra-virgin olive oil, then fold in salsa. Pour sauce over salad and toss to coat evenly. Garnish salad with cilantro or parsley and serve.Does anyone have a good, cold pasta salad recipe?
I have 2 recipes for you. A traditional type creamy pasta salad, and other yummy pasta salad.





tri colored rotini, boiled and drained. Rinse with cool water and let the noodles cool down.





Chop up some red onions and seperate as well as possible. Mix up 1 itaillian or other vinegarette and 2 parts ranch dressing. Add slice olives, onions, kidney beans, and garbonzo beans to the noodles. Fold in dressing, cover and chill. YUM!!!


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Orzo Pasta salad:





Orzo pasta salad


Corn


diced roma tomatoes


feta cheese


red onion chopped


italian vinegarette





Mix until it all tastes good and wala, a super delish pasta salad.





You coud use bottled Italian dressing for either of the above recipes, but you could also make up this dressing, wich is oh so much better and use it in place of bottled Itlalian:





Cowboy Vinaigrette:





1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar


3 tbsp sugar


1/8 cup horseradish


3 cups plus 2 tbsp veggie oil


1/4 cup finely chopped red onion


1/8 cup worcestershire sauce


3/4 tbsp dijon mustard





Place everything but the oil in a food processor, and combine. Slowly add the oil until emulsified. Keep in an air tight container.





Mix with ranch dressing for a creamy vinaigrette for salads or to dip fries in.
I use the tri color pasta, any veggies I want and a really good bottled Italian dressing. Let sit in the fridge a couple hours. I usually add to the noodles, shredded italian blend cheese, broccoli florets, green or red onion, black and green olives, pepperoni, chopped artichoke hearts from a can, and cherry or grape tomatoes.
You can also try the tricolor tortellini instead of regular tricolor pasta. Add peperoni, green/red pepper, onion, black olives, garlic powder, shredded Parmesan cheese, and a zesty Italian dressing. Just add the things you like to any salads you make.
My sister makes the best pasta salad ever. She use the tricolor pasta


and dices her veggies but not so small that they lose their flavor. The dressing is ranch dressing and it is awesome.





She puts cucumber, diced green and red pepper, red onion , celery and black olives.
regular elbow macaroni your favorite meat , cheese and favorite sauce/dressing. like tuna salad noodles, miracle whip, boiled eggs, tuna and sweet pickle juice/ optional.

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