Tag Archives: pasta salad

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Salads and tagged with , , , ,

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

It’s a damp, wet day here in Chicago,  but the calendar says May 1st and I’m more than ready for something grilled up and served with a sumptuous, summer salad.  Today I’m paring this lovely, lemony orzo dish with a succulent grilled salmon, marinated with the same lemon dressing used in the salad.

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

(adapted from recipe by Iowa Girl Eats)

Ingredients

6 oz dry orzo pasta

1-1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 Tablespoons capers

For the Lemon Dressing:

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

1 teaspoon honey

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Pasta Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain in a colander then set aside to cool a bit. You want the pasta to be slightly warm when you add the dressing so it will absorb well.

Prepare the Lemon Dressing:

In a mini food processor add lemon juice, salt, freshly ground pepper, honey and garlic.  Do a taste test and add more salt and pepper to your liking but be careful with the salt –  the salad contains capers and olives, which will be salty as well.

In a medium sized bowl, add cooked pasta with remaining ingredients. Toss with half of the dressing then taste. Add more as desired.   This salad can be served immediately at room temperature or refrigerated and served cold. Makes about 6 servings.

 

Creamy Summer Pasta Salad

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Summer Salads and tagged with ,

Creamy Summer Pasta Salad blog

What are three of my favorite pastimes? Summertime, grilling time, pasta salad time. This creamy pasta salad is reminiscent of that old time classic macaroni salad, with the flavors kicked up. Great with ribs, chicken, burgers or fish.

Creamy Summer Pasta Salad

adapted from Barefeet in the Kitchen

Yield: 6 servings

For the salad you will need:

8 ounces Tubetti or any short tube pasta
1 cup broccoli florets cut into very small pieces
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup small diced red pepper
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup very thinly sliced green onion or chopped red onion

 For the Dressing you will need:

1/2 cup light real mayonnaise
2 teaspoons white wine or champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Penzeys Fox Point Seasoning (optional)

This recipe only yields 6 servings, so if you are feeding a big crowd you will want to double the recipe.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a 3 quart saucepan. Add Tubetti with one tablespoon kosher salt and cook as directed on the package.

Add broccoli to the pasta for the last 30 seconds of cooking. Remove from heat and drain in a colander.  Rinse well with cold water to stop the broccoli from cooking.

To a large mixing bowl, add your dressing ingredients and whisk vigorously. Pour the cooked pasta and vegetables over the prepared dressing and toss well to combine. Adjust seasonings as desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Note: Fox Point Seasoning is a mixture of salt, dried shallots, chives, garlic onion and green peppercorns that adds delightful flavor to vegetables, poultry, fish and salads. If you don’t have a Penzeys store near you, you can find it at penzeys.com

Roasted Red Pepper Rotini Caesar

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Summer Salads and tagged with , , , ,

Spinach and rotini salad

Fast, fresh and delicious. The perfect summer salad for your Memorial Day celebration.

Roasted Red Pepper Rotini Caesar Salad
(recipe from Ronzoni Pasta)

Ingredients:

1 12 oz. box Rotini pasta

1 (12 oz.) jar of roasted red peppers, sliced

4 cups of fresh baby spinach

1 cup of your favorite creamy Caesar dressing or creamy Peppercorn dressing

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground pepper

Kosher salt

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander.
In a large mixing bowl, toss rotini, dressing, red peppers and spinach until well combined.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Add parmesan before serving.

Shrimp with Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Summer Salads and tagged with , , , ,

Shrimp and Bow Tie Pasta

We’ve had a relatively cool summer here in the Midwest this year, but today the heat is on with temperatures soaring into the 90’s. Warm temperatures are more than welcome after the winter we had, and on days like these, there is nothing better at mealtime than a cold pasta salad. This kicked-up shrimp salad is both spicy and refreshing and perfect for lunch or dinner on a hot summer day. Serve it with cold melon and a tall glass of ice tea for a true southern experience.

Shrimp with Bow Tie Pasta Salad

adapted from DeepSouthDish.com

Ingredients for the Salad:

  • 1/2 pound of dry farfelle (bow tie) pasta
  • Splash of olive oil
  • 1/2 cup of chopped Vidalia, or other sweet onion
  • 1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup of sliced celery
  • 3/4 cup of sliced black olives
  • 1 pound of  seasoned boiled shrimp  
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite Cajun or seafood seasoning to taste  (I used Old Bay)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt, or to taste.
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered.
  • 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley. You can use dried parsley if you do not have fresh on hand.

Ingredients for the Dressing:

  • 2/3 cup of mayonnaise
  • 1/8 cup of olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon of spicy mustard
  • 1/4 cup of milk

If using frozen shrimp, thaw and boil according to Crab and Shrimp Boil package directions. (I used Zatarain’s) After cooking, drain and run under cold water to stop from cooking further. Peel cooled shrimp and if using jumbo shrimp, cut in half.

Following package directions, cook pasta to the al dente stage. Drain and add a splash of olive oil, tossing to coat and prevent sticking. Set aside to cool.  Prepare onion, bell pepper, tomatoes and celery.

When pasta has cooled, transfer to a large mixing bowl.  To the pasta, add the shrimp, chopped vegetables, parsley and black olives. Toss to combine. Add seasonings, taste and adjust if needed. 

Prepare the dressing. In a small mixing bowl or 2 cup sized measuring cup, add the mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar and mustard. Whisk until well blended. Add in the milk and continue to whisk until smooth. Pour over the pasta and blend well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Tortellini Salad with Asparagus

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Summer Salads and tagged with , ,

Image

One of my favorite things about cooking and entertaining in the summer are the summer salads. There are so many to choose from and I want to try them all.  This salad is the perfect side for BBQ ribs or chicken and is substantial enough as a main course for lunch or dinner.

Tortellini Salad with Asparagus 

Adapted from Cook’s Country

Serves 8 to 10

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 shallot , minced

1 clove garlic, minced

Kosher Salt

Freshly ground black  pepper

1/2 cup chopped basil leaves

1 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed and sliced thin on the bias

2 (9-ounce) packages fresh cheese tortellini

1 pint grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, basil, lemon juice, shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil and cook asparagus until tender, about 3 minutes.  Do not discard the boiling water. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the asparagus to the mixing bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Add the tortellini to the boiling water, and cook using the package instructions. Drain and toss with the asparagus and dressing. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, add tomatoes and toss with the parmesan cheese.

Creamy Bow-Tie Salad

Posted by Brenda K. Agresta in Summer Salads and tagged with , ,

Creamy Bow-Tie Salad

For the first time in what seems forever, the temps hit the high 70’s here in Chicagoland. It’s just a spring teaser with a colder week on the way, so we’re soaking up all the warmth we can today and pulling out the grill for steaks and pairing them up with a summer pasta salad.

Summer pasta salads are wonderful because you can make them any way you want with whatever you have on hand and they go great with just about anything you grill or BBQ.

Creamy Bow-Tie Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 pound bow-tie pasta (Farfalle)
1/2 large red bell pepper cut into bite size pieces
1 cup broccoli florets
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 large stalk celery halved lengthwise and sliced into bite size pieces
3/4 cup sharp white cheddar cubed
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
Fresh or dried dill
Salt and pepper
Ranch dressing

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander and set aside to cool. Toss a few times; do not rinse.
Cut up vegetables and cheese. Add cooled pasta and vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Start with about a 1/2 cup of the ranch dressing and toss well. Add dijon and more ranch dressing if needed until the pasta is well coated and a creamy consistency. Add a 1/2 teaspoon dill and add salt and pepper to taste. Add cheese and stir in. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve as a side or main dish.