Pasta Salad Recipes

Pasta salad recipes can vary greatly by the kind of pasta you use to the dressings you put in them and the additional ingredients you add in them. There are no pasta salad recipe laws that you can break so don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients for your own personal tastes. Some of these pasta salad recipes can serve as main dishes with the additions of meat or beans, and other pasta salad recipes can become a favorite side dish. One thing is true for most pasta salads that you should be aware of is that pasta does not hold dressings well if you have leftovers to put away. The noodles tend to absorb the dressings so hold off adding the dressing till you are ready to serve, or within an hour.

Italian Pasta Salad

You'll need:

• Rotini pasta, cooked, drained, and rinsed
• 1 can of sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup of sweet onions, chopped
• Zesty Italian Dressing
• Strips of hard salami

1. Combine pasta, olives, onions, and strips of hard salami. Add dressing about an hour before serving.

Vegetable Pasta Salad

You'll need:

• 1 box of bow tie pasta, cooked, drained, and rinsed
• 1/4 cup of carrots, shredded
• 1/4 cup of sweet onions, cut into thin rings
• 1/4 cup of chopped celery
• 1/4 cup of broccoli crowns, chopped
• 1/4 cup of tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup of sweet peas
• 1/2 to 1 cup of mayonnaise or to taste

1. Combine all ingredients, adjust to personal tastes. Can add salt and pepper if desired.

Shrimp Pasta Salad

You'll need:

• 1 box of medium shell pasta, cooked, drained, and rinsed
• 1 Pound of salad cooked shrimp
• Juice of one whole lime
• 1/2 tsp. of dill weed
• 1 tbsp. of pickle relish
• 1/2 cup of salad dressing
• 1/4 cup of sour cream

1. In bowl combine pasta and shrimp.
2. Mix together in another bowl the lime juice, dill weed, relish, dressing and sour cream. Let flavors mix for an hour before serving. Then shake or mix well and add to pasta and shrimp.

Ranch Chicken Dinner Salad

You'll need:

• 1 box of mostoccoli, cooked, drained, and rinsed
• 1 cup chicken, cooked and cut into strips or cubes
• 1/4 cup of sweet onions
• 1 whole tomato, chopped
• 1 cup garlic flavored croutons
• 1/2 cup of ranch dressing or dip

1. Combine all ingredients, mix well remembering not to add the dressing too soon.

Crunchy Pasta Salad

You'll need:

• 1 box of creamette style pasta, cooked, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup of sunflower or pumpkin seeds, shelled
• 1/4 cup of green seedless grapes, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup of granny smith apple
• 1/4 cup of sliced celery
• 1/4 cup of plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
• Splash of lemon juice

1. In large bowl combine the pasta, seeds, grapes, apples, and celery.
2. Add a splash of lemon juice and mix well.
3. Combine the mayonnaise and yogurt, add salt and pepper. Pour over salad.