Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Cold Pasta Salad Recipe - A Delicious and Healthy Salad
A Cold Pasta Salad can be served as a light lunch on a hot summer afternoon or as an additional side dish for any party or dinner because it can be prepared ahead of time.
With such lovely flavors, I think you just need an excuse to serve it.
This pasta salad recipe is low fat (you can avoid using the cheese altogether), easy to make, tasty, and suitable for vegetarians. Although you can add some meat if you prefer.
This pasta salad recipe makes a good healthy meal.
It will be a definite hit with your family and friends.
Here is the list of ingredients
250gms pasta (any shape)
200 ml Tomato puree (ready made)
2-3 medium onions (thinly sliced)
1 can sweet corn kernels
1 medium green bell pepper (capsicum,thinly sliced)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 large tomato (skinned, deseeded and chopped).
2 tsp dried basil
15-20 olives cut in half (I use green olives stuffed with pimento)
5-10 cubes (1cm) of either cottage (paneer), feta or cheddar cheese (each will give an entirely different flavor)
2-3 sun dried tomatoes (chopped)
1 Tsp smoked Spanish paprika
Salt to taste
a few drops of Tabasco sauce (to taste)
1 Tsp of grated Parmesan (optional)
If you are using cottage cheese (paneer), it is a good idea to shallow fry the cubes till light brown on all sides, in a pan with just 2 tsp oil. Then drain on kitchen paper. This way they become crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside. Feta or cheddar cheese cubes can be added as they are in the end.
Heat a pan (non-stick is best) and reduce the heat to lowest, then add the olive oil and garlic. Saute for 30 seconds and add the onions. Saute till the onions look glassy. Now add the tomato puree and tomato, simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the corn, bell pepper, basil, paprika, Tabasco, sun dried tomatoes and salt.
Cook till the whole mixture is no longer watery and vegetables are slightly cooked.
Cool down to room temperature.
To this add boiled and strained pasta and gently mix so that the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Add the cheese cubes and olives. Mix well. Now let it cool and refrigerate till ready to serve.
Sprinkle some grated Parmesan before serving.
Enjoy your cold pasta salad!!!
Tip:-
To save some time you can easily make the red sauce in advance and freeze for up to a month. I always make more and freeze some. Then all I have to do is boil the pasta, add the cheese and olives and voila!
With such lovely flavors, I think you just need an excuse to serve it.
This pasta salad recipe is low fat (you can avoid using the cheese altogether), easy to make, tasty, and suitable for vegetarians. Although you can add some meat if you prefer.
This pasta salad recipe makes a good healthy meal.
It will be a definite hit with your family and friends.
Here is the list of ingredients
250gms pasta (any shape)
200 ml Tomato puree (ready made)
2-3 medium onions (thinly sliced)
1 can sweet corn kernels
1 medium green bell pepper (capsicum,thinly sliced)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 large tomato (skinned, deseeded and chopped).
2 tsp dried basil
15-20 olives cut in half (I use green olives stuffed with pimento)
5-10 cubes (1cm) of either cottage (paneer), feta or cheddar cheese (each will give an entirely different flavor)
2-3 sun dried tomatoes (chopped)
1 Tsp smoked Spanish paprika
Salt to taste
a few drops of Tabasco sauce (to taste)
1 Tsp of grated Parmesan (optional)
If you are using cottage cheese (paneer), it is a good idea to shallow fry the cubes till light brown on all sides, in a pan with just 2 tsp oil. Then drain on kitchen paper. This way they become crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside. Feta or cheddar cheese cubes can be added as they are in the end.
Heat a pan (non-stick is best) and reduce the heat to lowest, then add the olive oil and garlic. Saute for 30 seconds and add the onions. Saute till the onions look glassy. Now add the tomato puree and tomato, simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the corn, bell pepper, basil, paprika, Tabasco, sun dried tomatoes and salt.
Cook till the whole mixture is no longer watery and vegetables are slightly cooked.
Cool down to room temperature.
To this add boiled and strained pasta and gently mix so that the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Add the cheese cubes and olives. Mix well. Now let it cool and refrigerate till ready to serve.
Sprinkle some grated Parmesan before serving.
Enjoy your cold pasta salad!!!
Tip:-
To save some time you can easily make the red sauce in advance and freeze for up to a month. I always make more and freeze some. Then all I have to do is boil the pasta, add the cheese and olives and voila!
Cold Pasta Salad Recipes - Tuna Pasta Salad
This pasta salad receipt features everybody's favorite: tuna with savory stuffed tortellini pasta.
2 (6 1/2 oz.) cans tuna
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Tortellini pasta, filled with Parmesan cheese
4 boiled eggs, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup sweet salad pickle cubes
1/2 cup celery, chopped
Mayonnaise
Directions
Cook pasta in 2 1/2-quart of boiling salted water for approximately 25 minutes; drain and let cool.
Add other ingredients to cooled pasta. Mix in the mayonnaise to taste.
=> Pasta Salad Recipes: Pasta Salad with Spam
Got some canned Spam sitting around in the cupboard? Use it to make this deliciously creamy pasta salad. A cheap and easy recipe for pasta salad.
1 (12 oz.) pkg. pasta curls
1 (12 oz.) can of Spam
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow or green pepper
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 green onions
1/4 cup cucumber salad dressing
1/3 cup light vegetable oil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Chopped olives
Paprika
Directions
Cut vegetables and Spam into julienne strips.
Prepare pasta; drain and put into a medium bowl. Combine the Spam, pasta, zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, olives and onions. In a small bowl, combine dressing, oil and pepper.
Add to salad mixture, then toss. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Cover and chill. Stir gently before serving.
=> Summer Pasta Salad: Seafood Pasta Salad
Here's a great crab pasta salad that will be a hit at any gathering.
Salad
4 ounces pasta, uncooked
8 ounces crab surimi seafood chunks
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup bell peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
In another bowl, stir together the salad dressing ingredients.
Toss dressing into crab mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
=> Pasta Salad Italian Dressing: Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoni
You can't beat this zesty Italian American pasta salad featuring your favorite noodles, mushrooms and pepperoni.
7 ounce box pasta noodles
1 small can sliced ripe olives
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 ounce pepperoni, chopped
1 small can sliced mushrooms
Italian salad dressing
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
Drain the juice from the olives and mushrooms; add to pasta. Add in peppers and onions; stir. Mix in the Italian dressing to thoroughly coat salad.
Add in the pepperoni and Parmesan cheese to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2 (6 1/2 oz.) cans tuna
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Tortellini pasta, filled with Parmesan cheese
4 boiled eggs, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup sweet salad pickle cubes
1/2 cup celery, chopped
Mayonnaise
Directions
Cook pasta in 2 1/2-quart of boiling salted water for approximately 25 minutes; drain and let cool.
Add other ingredients to cooled pasta. Mix in the mayonnaise to taste.
=> Pasta Salad Recipes: Pasta Salad with Spam
Got some canned Spam sitting around in the cupboard? Use it to make this deliciously creamy pasta salad. A cheap and easy recipe for pasta salad.
1 (12 oz.) pkg. pasta curls
1 (12 oz.) can of Spam
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow or green pepper
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 green onions
1/4 cup cucumber salad dressing
1/3 cup light vegetable oil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Chopped olives
Paprika
Directions
Cut vegetables and Spam into julienne strips.
Prepare pasta; drain and put into a medium bowl. Combine the Spam, pasta, zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, olives and onions. In a small bowl, combine dressing, oil and pepper.
Add to salad mixture, then toss. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Cover and chill. Stir gently before serving.
=> Summer Pasta Salad: Seafood Pasta Salad
Here's a great crab pasta salad that will be a hit at any gathering.
Salad
4 ounces pasta, uncooked
8 ounces crab surimi seafood chunks
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup bell peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
In another bowl, stir together the salad dressing ingredients.
Toss dressing into crab mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
=> Pasta Salad Italian Dressing: Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoni
You can't beat this zesty Italian American pasta salad featuring your favorite noodles, mushrooms and pepperoni.
7 ounce box pasta noodles
1 small can sliced ripe olives
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 ounce pepperoni, chopped
1 small can sliced mushrooms
Italian salad dressing
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
Drain the juice from the olives and mushrooms; add to pasta. Add in peppers and onions; stir. Mix in the Italian dressing to thoroughly coat salad.
Add in the pepperoni and Parmesan cheese to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cold Pasta Salad Recipes
Cold pasta salads are a great addition to any meal, whether the meal is formal or just a back yard cookout. You would usually have some kind of pasta in your cabinet that can be used for cold pasta salad. You can go by the recipe and use the pasta that it requests or substitute it for your own favorite. Fusilli is a spiral shaped pasta with assorted colors that is a great way to add a festive look to any party. Cold pasta salad recipes are great for everyone from the meat lover to the vegetarian.
Cheese and Walnut Pasta Salad
Ingredients
2 cups of dried conchiglie pasta
1 cup of shelled walnuts
1 bag of mixed greens salad (a nice radicchio, escarole, arugula, mache, and frisee mix works well)
2 cups of Dolcelatte cheese, a sweet blue cheese (Roquefort works if you can't find Dolcelatte)
Ingredients for Dressing
2 tablespoons of walnut oil
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons or red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the pasta until it is done. Rinse the pasta well with cold water and then place pasta in the refrigerator until pasta is cold. While the pasta is cooling toast the walnuts in your oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. While the walnuts are cooling whisk the oils and vinegar together in a bowl. Add just enough salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the greens in a large bowl and scatter cooled pasta over the greens. Toss the cooled toasted walnuts over the pasta and then drizzle the dressing over the salad.
Spicy Pasta Salad
Fusilli pasta works well for this salad, however the pasta of your choice will work just as well.
Ingredients
2 red bell peppers, cut in half and deseeded
1 small fresh red chili
4 tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves
½ cup of ground almonds
7 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 pound 8 ounces of fusilli pasta (or pasta of your choice)
Instructions
Cook the fusilli (or pasta of your choice) according to the package directions. After the pasta is done rinse with cold water and drain. Place the pasta in the refrigerator to cool. Preheat your broiler to a medium heat and place the chili, tomato halves, and bell peppers skin side up on a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet into the broiler and cook the skins until they are well-charred, turning occasionally. Once the peppers are charred, place them in a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap. Let the peppers sit for 10 minutes. Peel the skin from the peppers and slice the flesh into strips. Peel and deseed the tomatoes. Peel the garlic. Place the ground almonds on the cookie sheet and toast them in the broiler for about three minutes until golden brown. Using a food processor, blend the bell peppers, chili, garlic, and tomatoes until pureed. While the food processor is still running, slowly drizzle the oil through the feeder tube to form an emulsion. Place the mixture into a saucepan and fold the almonds into the mixture. Warm the sauce until it is thoroughly heated. Place the cooled pasta in a serving bowl and pour the sauce over the pasta.
These are two great pastas you can try, however, there are hundreds of other cold pasta salad recipes available. Cook books and the internet are great sources for finding a cold pasta recipe that is perfect to fit your appetite and occasion.
Cheese and Walnut Pasta Salad
Ingredients
2 cups of dried conchiglie pasta
1 cup of shelled walnuts
1 bag of mixed greens salad (a nice radicchio, escarole, arugula, mache, and frisee mix works well)
2 cups of Dolcelatte cheese, a sweet blue cheese (Roquefort works if you can't find Dolcelatte)
Ingredients for Dressing
2 tablespoons of walnut oil
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons or red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the pasta until it is done. Rinse the pasta well with cold water and then place pasta in the refrigerator until pasta is cold. While the pasta is cooling toast the walnuts in your oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. While the walnuts are cooling whisk the oils and vinegar together in a bowl. Add just enough salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the greens in a large bowl and scatter cooled pasta over the greens. Toss the cooled toasted walnuts over the pasta and then drizzle the dressing over the salad.
Spicy Pasta Salad
Fusilli pasta works well for this salad, however the pasta of your choice will work just as well.
Ingredients
2 red bell peppers, cut in half and deseeded
1 small fresh red chili
4 tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves
½ cup of ground almonds
7 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 pound 8 ounces of fusilli pasta (or pasta of your choice)
Instructions
Cook the fusilli (or pasta of your choice) according to the package directions. After the pasta is done rinse with cold water and drain. Place the pasta in the refrigerator to cool. Preheat your broiler to a medium heat and place the chili, tomato halves, and bell peppers skin side up on a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet into the broiler and cook the skins until they are well-charred, turning occasionally. Once the peppers are charred, place them in a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap. Let the peppers sit for 10 minutes. Peel the skin from the peppers and slice the flesh into strips. Peel and deseed the tomatoes. Peel the garlic. Place the ground almonds on the cookie sheet and toast them in the broiler for about three minutes until golden brown. Using a food processor, blend the bell peppers, chili, garlic, and tomatoes until pureed. While the food processor is still running, slowly drizzle the oil through the feeder tube to form an emulsion. Place the mixture into a saucepan and fold the almonds into the mixture. Warm the sauce until it is thoroughly heated. Place the cooled pasta in a serving bowl and pour the sauce over the pasta.
These are two great pastas you can try, however, there are hundreds of other cold pasta salad recipes available. Cook books and the internet are great sources for finding a cold pasta recipe that is perfect to fit your appetite and occasion.
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