Best Pasta Salad Recipes

What do you look for when choosing a pasta recipe dish?

Spicy? Mild? Or just right?

I'll tell you what I look for. I look for easy pasta salad recipes.

Follow some of the recipes below and we'll have you cooking pasta perfectly every time.

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Peas

Note: Don't forget that the only time rinsing pasta should come into play is if you plan on presenting it as a cold pasta dish or if don't plan to serve it immediately. Always rinse pasta with cold water so it will stop cooking, and then drain it well.

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup white-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons salt or salt substitute

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled

1 large garlic clove, mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup olive oil (I prefer virgin olive oil)

1 pound medium pasta shells

1/2 pound shelled fresh or frozen peas (1 1/2 cups), boiled until tender and drained

2 pints cherry tomatoes halved

1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves

Let's Put It All Together!

Note: This dish serves 10 to 12

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Salmon Pasta Salad

I can't think of a more fitting salmon expert than Simply Seafood. Thank you for this easy pasta salad entry.

Note: A flavorful fish like salmon stands up well to the heartiness of a pasta. Make sure it's firm and fresh.

Here's What You Need:

1 pound salmon fillet or steaks (if you have some left over cooked salmon, use 2 cups in place here)

Salt and Pepper

8 ounces dry pasta (I like spiral shape) or small shells

3 Tbsp finely chopped tarragon leaves

2 Tbsp finely chopped green onion

1 Tbsp lemon juice (if you like lime try that every once in a while)

1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

8 ounces red cherry tomatoes, rinsed, stemmed and halved

Let's Cook

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and simmer until tender, 5-10 minutes, depending on the size. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again thoroughly. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the tarragon, green onion, lemon juice, yogurt, salt and pepper. Add the well-drained pasta and toss to coat. Add the salmon and cherry tomatoes and stir gently. Taste the salad for seasoning, cover and refrigerate.

Note: Best Served 1 hour after refrigeration.

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