How to Make Pasta Salad

Pasta salads are easy to prepare with no special preparations required. Pasta salad is nothing but salad with cooked pasta, different types of veggies and salad dressing. Now, how do you make pasta salad? Well, it's very simple, just cook the pasta as per directions, then add the veggies and lastly pour the dressing over the salad while serving. There is no fixed recipe for preparing pasta salad and you can make innumerable variations in the recipe. You can add your favorite spices, vegetables, sauces, etc. Scroll down to know some simple pasta salad recipes.

Pasta Salad Dressing
Ingredients

• Red wine vinegar - ¼ cup
• Dried basil - 1 teaspoon
• Garlic (minced) - 2 cloves
• Dried oregano - 1 teaspoon
• Ground mustard seed - ½ teaspoon
• Olive oil - ½ cup
• Salt - ¼ teaspoon
• Ground black pepper - 1/8 teaspoon

Procedure

Preparing pasta salad dressing is very simple since all you need to do is simply add all the ingredients together. Take a mixing bowl and combine all the above listed ingredients in it. Stir the mixture well and store in a tight lid container. Pour this dressing over the pasta salad and enjoy the delicious taste.

Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Ingredients for Italian Dressing

• White sugar - 1 tablespoon
• Onion powder - 1 tablespoon
• Garlic salt - 1 tablespoon
• Dried thyme - ¼ teaspoon
• Dried parsley - 1 tablespoon
• Ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon
• Dried oregano - 2 tablespoons
• Salt - 2 tablespoons
• Celery salt - ¼ teaspoon
• Dried basil - 1 teaspoon
• Canola oil - 2/3 cup
• Water - 2 tablespoons
• White vinegar - ¼ cup

Ingredients for the Salad

• Rotini pasta - 8 ounces
• Frozen mixed vegetables - 2½ cups
• Diced cheddar cheese - ½ cup
• Pitted black olives - ⅓ cup
• Italian dressing - 1 cup

Procedure

First prepare the Italian dressing for the pasta salad. Take a small bowl and combine, onion powder, sugar, oregano, pepper, basil, parsley, thyme, salt, garlic salt and celery salt. Mix the ingredients properly and store the dry mix in an air-tight container. Now, to prepare the Italian dressing, take another small bowl and add white vinegar, water, canola oil and 2 tablespoons of the dry mixture stored in the container.

Now, cook the rotini pasta by following the directions on the package. Then, drain out excess water and rinse the cooked pasta with cold water. Let the pasta cool completely, then take a large bowl and add cooked pasta, frozen vegetables, olives and Cheddar cheese. Combine all these ingredients properly and add Italian dressing that you had prepared previously. Toss the salad properly and serve at room temperature or in chilled form.

Pasta Salad with Tuna
Ingredients

• Chopped celery - 1 cup
• Canned chunk albacore tuna (drained) - 12 ounces
• Pasta shells or macaroni - 12 ounces
• Frozen green pea - 1 cup
• Mayonnaise - 1 ½ cups
• Salt and pepper

Procedure

First cook the pasta according to the package directions and then drain it properly. Mix the cooked pasta with drained tuna, frozen green pea, chopped celery and mayonnaise. Mix all the ingredients properly and add salt and pepper according to your requirements. See that you use enough of mayonnaise in your salad to make it creamy. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least an hour and then serve.

Pasta Salad with Olive Oil
Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil - ¼ cup
• Elbow pasta - 1 lb
• Celery, ends removed (chopped) - 3 ribs
• Carrots (peeled) - 3
• Fresh parsley (chopped) - ½ cup
• Lemon juice made from 1½ lemons
• Celery seed - ½ teaspoon
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Procedure

Cook the elbow pasta as given on the package. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it well and cool it completely. Peel and chop all the vegetables, except parsley. Combine them in a mixing bowl and toss them properly. In another bowl, combine extra virgin oil and lemon juice. Then, combine chopped vegetables and cooked cool pasta. After that, sprinkle chopped parsley over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Then, pour olive oil, lemon mixture over the pasta salad and add salt and pepper according to the required taste. Refrigerate the salad and serve.

These were some easy to prepare luscious pasta salad recipes. So, what are you waiting for? Now when you know how to make pasta salad, rush to your kitchen and prepare these recipes. Happy Cooking!