Share Your Favorite Salad & Pasta Salad Recipes

[tarheelmjfan]

With summer upon us, my DS & I are once again in the salad for dinner every evening mode. My DH isn't as big a fan, but he'll eat anything I put in front of him. We get tired of the same old thing all the time, & buy some of the special "all in one" salad bags at the store, which can be expensive. I'd love some suggestions for lettuce based salads. Naturally, I've got caesar & garden salad w/ iceberg lettuce & ranch, 1000 Island, etc. down. That I can handle on my own. I'm looking for things a bit more exotic or adventurous. I'm also hoping for easy pasta salad recipes. Some that are fairly cheap & don't have 9 or 10 ingredients would be great. Thanks in advance for helping get us out of this salad rut we're in.

 

[piratesmate]

I recently posted a new favorite & an old favorite to another thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1453043 One is spinach based & the other is lettuce based.

We tend to have a lot of salad in the summer and often grill extra chicken just so we have some to toss in a salad the next night as dinner. We're usually pretty happy with changing what we toss on the lettuce...3 Bean Salad, olives, broccoli, mushrooms, grape tomatoes, French Fried Onion Rings, red beets (especially pickled ones ), artichoke hearts, pasta salad, you name it! LOL

Do you have a Taco Salad recipe? It's like an exploded taco in a bowl of lettuce.

Taco Salad
1 lb ground beef or shredded chicken
¾ c water
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 head lettuce
2 c kidney beans
1 - 2 c Cheddar, grated
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 - 2 c carrots, grated (opt)
8 -12 oz French dressing
taco chips, crushed
Prepare meat as for tacos with water & seasoning; chill. Toss with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes & carrots. Pour dressing over all & mix. Use plain chips or Doritos.

For pasta salad I like that easy. Most times it's just this:

Pasta Salad

1 lb tri-colored screws
8 oz 3-bean salad
6 oz marinated artichoke hearts
8 oz Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette
4 oz chickpeas, drained

For company or special occasions, I skip the 3-bean & artichokes & add:
½ bag frozen broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mix
4 oz pepperoni (cut slices into slivers)
1 c shredded mozzarella
¼ c Parmesan or Romano
4 oz black olive slices, drained
1 tomato, chopped

(No need to cook broccoli mix – just defrost before adding. The crunch is a nice contrast to the pasta & by using the frozen it’s somewhat softer than fresh would be.)


And this one is very different than most pasta salads. I really like it!

Hearty Macaroni Salad

2 c cooked chicken, cubed (or shredded)
2 c cooked ham, cubed
2 c salad shrimp
8 oz macaroni shells
½ c celery, diced
¼ c sweet red pepper, diced
¼ c green pepper, diced
¼ c onion
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp sugar
½ c mayo
1 tsp dill weed, dry or
1 Tbl fresh dill weed
½ c sour cream
2 Tbl vinegar

Cook pasta according to package directions & drain. Toss pasta, veggies, meat, salt & pepper together. Mix sugar, mayo, dill, sour cream & vinegar. Pour over salad & chill.

[NOTES: Do not use leftover baked ham, esp if you stud it with cloves. It becomes overpowering. Try using a slice of ham steak & the Perdue shortcuts work if you don’t do chicken ahead.]

And finally for something different...

Pasta Fruit Salad
Source:Taste of Home

3 c uncooked medium pasta shells
20 oz unsweetened pineapple chunks -- drained
1 lg navel orange, peeled, sectioned and -- halved
1 c halved green grapes
1 c halved red grapes
1 med apple, chopped
1 lg firm banana, 1/4" slices
8 oz plain yogurt
1/4 c orange juice concentrate

Cook pasta. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl. Add the fruit. Combine the yogurt and orange juice concentrate. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and chill for several hours.

Substitutions (I rarely follow a recipe exactly & we actually prefer it this way):
Raspberry pieces - dried raspberries
Mandarin oranges
2 Fresh peaches
vanilla yogurt
orange-strawberry juice blend

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Wow, thanks a lot! I can't wait to try them. I also checked out the link you provided. Obviously, I need to look for topics, before posting a new one. Hey, by posting it again, I got more recipes out of you. lol More variety for me.

 

[piratesmate]

Don't worry about it. It's not like you can use Search to find what you want, right? I only mentioned it because I didn't have much time & didn't want to re-type it all....well, it's just copy-paste from my hard drive, but as I said I only had a few minutes.

I hope you find something there that appeals to you. I love finding new recipes...I get bored quickly. LOL DH just doesn't understand why, but

 

[MazdaUK]

I made my own coleslaw a few weeks ago and DH was Soooooo impressed! I've never bothered because I don't eat it myself and he was happy with shpo stuff, but the veg box came up with cabbage, carrot, spring onion and I didn't know what else to do with it in hot weather

 

[Disneyaholic]

Our favorite salad lately is a very simple mixture of spring greens, feta cheese, toasted almonds, and blueberries mixed with Girard's light champagne dressing. Delicious and healthy (especially if you use the low-fat feta!)

When I make pasta salad, I usually make a pound of pasta and just keep adding to it...I start with one bottle of Italian dressing (or one packet of Good Seasons Italian made up). Some favorites are chunks of Genoa Salami and Provolone cheese, broccoli florets, mild banana pepper slices, grape tomatoes, and just about anything else I can find in the fridge that would go with it...it's never the same twice!

 

[nikkistevej]

I've recently been adding pepperoni and fresh grated parmesan cheese to my pasta salad and have been getting alot of compliments. Like poster above said, I just grabbed stugg from the frig. and added it.

 

[vanyel]

Love all the suggestions. I also like doing a green salad (usually with a mixture of greens) and adding mandarin oranges, blueberries, and/or strawberries with candied walnuts. I prefer a raspberry vinagerette or poppyseed. Of course you can vary the fruit or use different nuts, whatever you prefer.

Forgot that I often add feta or bleu cheese to the salad, if I have it.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

These sound so yummy. Exactly what I was hoping for. I can't wait to try some of them this week.

 

[denisem]

Here's the link to my favorite Antipasto Pasta Salad in its original form, but it's meant to tinker with to suit your tastes: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Antipasto-Pasta-Salad/Detail.aspx.

I've "easied" it up a little to OUR taste with the following changes:

Use 1 lb. cheese tortellini instead of seashell pasta
1/2 pound of chopped Genoa Salami (instead of 1/4 lb. + 1/4 lb. pepperoni)
1/2 pound diced Asiago cheese (some prefer shredded mozzarella instead)
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
A carton of halved grape tomatoes (keeps better than regular chopped tomatoes)
1 small chopped onion
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix to above ingredients, to chill for an hour.

Dressing:

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (original is 3/4 oil to 1/4 vinegar - we prefer more vinegar than oil - up to you)

1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste

This serves 12, so DH & I started out halving the recipe. However, we found we really loved it and it keeps well for several days. If you're the type that can eat the same thing for lunch/dinner for a coupla days, it's worth the initial work adding it to a monthly rotation.

 

[jordansmomma]

Pasta Salad
1 pkg of cooked pasta-cork screw, elbow, rotoni or whatever I have on hand
1 cucumber diced
1 or 2 scallions diced
3 radishes diced
1 red or yellow bell pepper (whatever is on sale)
10 mushrooms sliced
1/2 pkg of pepperoni
1 can of black olives
1/2 to 1 bottle of Zesty Italian salad dressing
mix together out in fridge for 2-3 hours before serving. mix well and serve.


Fruit salad
1 16 oz cottage cheese
1 sm pkg of jello
1 15 oz or smaller can of each crushed pineapple & mandarin oranges drain juice
1 container of cool whip
Mix together & refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
Sometimes I add mini marshmellows.

 

[crazyme5kids]

Pasta Salad
1 pkg of cooked pasta-cork screw, elbow, rotoni or whatever I have on hand
1 cucumber diced
1 or 2 scallions diced
3 radishes diced
1 red or yellow bell pepper (whatever is on sale)
10 mushrooms sliced
1/2 pkg of pepperoni
1/2 to 1 bottle of Zesty Italian salad dressing
mix together out in fridge for 2-3 hours before serving. mix well and serve.


Fruit salad
1 16 oz cottage cheese
1 sm pkg of jello
1 15 oz or smaller can of each crushed pineapple & mandarin oranges drain juice
1 container of cool whip
Mix together & refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

The recipie for your fruit salad is one we've made for years and years! Even people who don't like cottage cheese love it.

Just a note to those that want to try it. Mix the jello dry with the pineapple so it disolves. This is a very quick and easy recipie and it tates better when it sits overnight.

 

[Mickey'sMainMami]

My all time favorite salad for me is iceberg mixed with spring mix lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, chick peas, croutons, peeled cucumbers, raw broccolli, diced tomatoes, black pepper and russian dressing. fattening I know, so I don't eat it often!

Also good is a chicken fajhita salad that I make. Regular lettuce, strips of chicken that is sauted in the fajhita seasoning with green peppers and onions, sprinkle on diced black olives, mexican shredded cheese and salsa on top.

or taco salad the same way, just use ground beef, shredd the lettuce and use all the other same stuff. I also toast a big four tortilla in the oven, wipe on some refried beans, top with the ground beef, shredded lettuce, raw onion, diced tomatoes, olives, shredded mexican cheese, salsa and sour cream.

For pasta salad, I use the tri colored noodles, add in black olives, diced tomatoes, italian dressing, chunks of provolone cheese and open and drain a can of tuna and add that in. I also substitute the tuna with pepperoni chunks.

 

[Mickey'sMainMami]

I know this is a salads thread, but you know what else is good and really easy? Use your grill and grill chicken breast. Then I spray a large flour tortilla with pam and put it down on the grill, spread mexican shredded cheese on one half of the tortilla, I cut up the cooked chicken place on one half side of the tortilla, add some onion and green pepper (I usually brown these in a frying pan) or if you have one of those grill pans with the wholes in them you can fry them in that, add a little more cheese on top, then fold the tortilla in half and grell both sides until the cheese is melted and then cut and dip in salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. This is really fast and simple. I usually make these with left over chicken from any other dish I might have made. Sometimes I bake a fryer chicken in the oven, then I pull off all the leftover meat off and put in freezer bags and when I need something quick but good I take it out and use it. You can also use the pre-cooked chicken strips you get in the stores. What is it with me and Mexican food?

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

I love the orzo spinach salad they sell at Whole Foods, but I hate paying the prices they charge for it. I always say I'm going to make it myself. Next time I'm going to buy a little so I can analyse it and see what's in it.

I found this recipe which is really close. I think it might have cut up Kalamata olives in it too.:

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked orzo pasta
1 (10 ounce) package baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
1/2 pound crumbled feta cheese
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in spinach, feta, onion, pine nuts, basil and white pepper. Toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Refrigerate and serve cold.

 

[Disney Ron]

Sorry not exact recipe, I usually just eyeball it! This is a nice change from regular mayo pasta salad. Everyone in our family loves this.

Pound of Pasta (shells or spirals)
Mayo
Catalina Dressing (Secret orange ingrediant!!!!)
shredded carrots
chopped green bell pepper
chopped onion

Mrs. Disney Ron

 

[lucas]

CELERY SUCCOTASH SALAD
Rachael Ray

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 whole celery heart, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 (10-ounce box) frozen corn kernels (I used 1 can of drained corn)
1 (15-ounce) can chick peas, drained & rinsed
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small to medium red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, honey, lemon juice, and vinegar then whisk in extra-virgin olive oil and season the dressing with salt and pepper. Add the celery, carrots, corn, chick peas, peppers, onions, and thyme. Toss to combine the salad and adjust salt and pepper, to taste.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Thanks again to everyone for the great recipes. I love the wide variety you guys provided. Can't wait to try them all.

 

[M 'n C]

I just normally make us "junk" salads every night. Usually I will do the usual lettuce, sprouts, cucumber, and carrots then add in other things like corn, peas, pinto/black beans, sliced almonds, bacon bits, croutons, craisins, apples, pears, pineapple, salsa, turkey pepperoni, cheese (different varieties), those chinese crunchy noodles, sliced ham. Just basically whatever I have in the kitchen to perk things up a bit and make them different.

I love the new salad spritzers. I'm not sure if you've tried them but the caesar one and the italian ones are great. I want to get the asian and the raspberry ones next. I wish they would make a ranch flavored one really soon.

 

[Imzadi]

Instead of regular pastas, use: Barilla Plus Pasta.

It is the ONLY pasta I eat now. Barilla Plus is made with chick peas & other high protein, fiber & Omega 3 ingredients. Yet it tastes like regular pasta. It does NOT taste like boiled cardboard the way "whole wheat" pastas do. You do have to cook it a bit longer than regular pasta. It is a better choice for anyone who would still like to eat pasta, but not all the carbs. And the extra fiber & Omega 3's are an added healthy bonus.

You can check the chart for the ratio of protein, fiber & Omega 3's vs. other foods:
Barilla Plus pasta. It is more expensive than regular pasta, but in exchange for buying/adding less of other protein foods, it's probably still less expensive - and more heart healthy & filling.

As a great protein replacement, you can actually use less meats or beans in a dish. You can add cooked chicken to the Rotini (corkscrew) pasta & salad greens to make a chicken pasta salad. The same with a can of tuna.

If you make a simple tomato spaghetti sauce, you can still know you are getting a lot of protein, without making a more expensive meat sauce. Or you can make a pasta primavera (pasta & veggies) drizzled with olive oil, garlic, S&P, and still get a good amount of protein. Same for a nice fresh pesto sauce.