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These easy Pasta Salad Recipes are simple to make and flavorful ideas for when you need a simple and fast meal. Each of these quick salads will make approximately two servings.
Use the easy meal idea suggestions in the menu planner.
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Broccoli Pasta Salad
1 cup cooked whole grain rotini pasta
2 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-size pieces (steam lightly if desired)
1/2 cup canned, drained mandarin orange segments (reserve juice)
1/2 cup bottled honey Dijon dressing
1 tbsp of reserved orange juice (or as desired)
2 tbsp sliced almonds
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Adjust dressing to taste, if needed.
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Quick Meal Ideas:
Pasta and Seafood: Combine shelled, cooked shrimp with some chopped tomato, celery and cilantro with a squeeze of lemon juice and serve along with this easy salad.
Quick Pasta Meal: make a simple presentation of this quick salad by serving it on a bed of mixed salad greens along with sliced and toasted French bread spread with olive tapenade.
Optional Additions: Add crumbled cooked bacon, or some canned, drained and flaked tuna or browned and cubed tempeh.
Creamy Garlic Pasta Salad
2 cups cooked whole grain penne pasta
1 cup cherry tomatoes – cut in half
1/2 cup kalamata olives – left whole or cut in half
1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise or low-fat plain yogurt
1 clove of minced garlic
- In a bowl, combine the pasta, tomatoes and olives.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the mayonnaise or yogurt with the garlic and stir to combine.
- Add the garlic mixture to the salad ingredients and toss well.
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Quick Meal Ideas:
Quick Pasta Meal: For an easy and quick meal idea, try serving this easy salad with a bowl of black bean soup.
Salad Meal: Serve salad on a bed of romaine lettuce and baby spinach leaves along with sweet and sour pickles or dill pickles.
Optional Additions:
* Add roughly chopped fresh basil.
* Add some extra vegetables like sliced green bell peppers and/or marinated artichoke hearts.
Easy Pesto Pasta Salad
3 cups cooked whole grain rotelle pasta
1 1/2 cups diced red bell pepper
1 diced hard cooked egg
1/2 cup prepared basil or sun-dried tomato pesto
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well.
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Quick Meal Ideas:
Quick Pasta Meal: Serve salad along with thinly sliced smoked salmon layered on tomato slices and drizzled with some fresh squeezed lemon juice.
Salad Meal: For an easy meal, try serving salad with steamed broccoli and mushrooms tossed with olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
Optional Additions:
* Add some capers and/or oil-cured olives.
Cream Cheese Pasta Salad
2 cups cooked whole grain farfalle pasta (keep warm)
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup whipped plain cream cheese
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp lemon zest
- In a bowl, combine the warm pasta with the cream cheese and lemon zest and toss well.
- Add the carrots, onion and cilantro and toss again to combine completely. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Quick Meal Ideas:
Quick Meal: Take some celery sticks and stuff them with prepared guacamole and serve along side this salad.
Pasta and Seafood: Serve this salad with baked or broiled salmon steaks.
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