Pasta Salad Recipe

Pasta is an ideal base for combining with fresh seasonal produce, seafood or meat. Toss together a pasta salad and you have a healthy and quick accompaniment to your meal. Look up some pasta salad recipes to accompany your meal. What is pasta without the right sauce? We bring you the recipes for simple sauces that you can put together in a jiffy. Find out how to fix up a quick Pasta Primavera or Shrimp Pasta.

Pasta Recipe

Pasta is always accompanied by the seasonal produce, be it fresh herbs and baby greens or spring garlic and sweet peas. Ripe juicy tomatoes, zucchini and asparagus also find their way into most pasta salad recipes. Wild mushrooms, leeks and broccoli also lend their special flavor to a pasta recipe. Plan your pasta meal with the right ingredients and you can have a tasty and nutritious meal in minutes. Seafood goes well with pasta and it is little wonder that shrimps, scallops or salmon are commonly used in pasta salads and other recipes.

The first step in any pasta recipe is to cook the pasta just right. Bring the recommended amount of water to a boil. Add all the pasta at once so as to cook evenly. Cover the pan to allow it to cook well. Do not overcook the pasta - it should still be chewy. You can draw out a couple of pieces to test if it is correctly done. Drain at once in a colander and shake up the pasta pieces so that they don't stick together.

Pasta salad recipe

Typically any pasta salad recipe has fresh farm produce or seafood tossed with herbs in a base of olive oil. Pasta salads can be served at room temperature or chilled. Making your pasta salad prior to the meal allows time for the flavor to soak through. The chilled pasta salads can even be made the night before. An interesting pasta salad recipe would involve making a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, parsley and oregano. Chill this mix for a few hours. Toss with cooked pasta, onion rings and Feta cheese. You can add interesting twists to your pasta salad recipe by adding ingredients of your choice, be it cool cucumbers, pine nuts, grated cheese or stir-fried spinach.

Cold Pasta Salad Recipe

Cook the pasta and rinse with cold water to prevent it from getting soggy. Mix together white tuna, frozen green peas and mayonnaise and capers. Chill it for about an hour prior to serving. You can top it with some additional mayonnaise before you eat it.

Recipe for Primavera Pasta Salad

Ingredients required are: broccoli, zucchini, carrots, tomatoes and flavoring agents like garlic, honey, lemon juice, lemon peel, basil, oregano. Salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese are also essential in this pasta salad recipe. Stir broccoli and garlic in a skillet with a small dollop of butter. Add all the other vegetables and stir. Add honey, lemon juice, lemon peel and seasonings. Simmer and toss with spaghetti and sprinkle Parmesan cheese.

Shrimp pasta recipe

Sauté shrimps in some butter and garlic till pink and lightly done. In another pan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil and then add black pepper, basil, thyme and cayenne. Add Worcestershire Sauce, diced tomatoes, sugar and chicken broth. Add shrimps and cooked pasta and serve in shallow bowls topped with grated Parmesan cheese. This shrimp pasta recipe goes well with toasted garlic bread.

Chicken pasta recipe

Read up our chicken pasta recipe - you can fix yourself a meal in a few minutes. This recipe for Chicken pasta recipe uses ready-to-use ingredients. Cook bow tie pasta or tubular pasta. Cut boneless chicken breasts into strips. Cook them well in a skillet and add pasta with grated cheese, condensed cream of mushrooms and chunky salsa. Add a little milk for the right consistency.

Pasta sauce recipe

The sauces are what lend the flavor, texture and zing to a pasta dish. Your pasta should not be swimming in the sauce nor should it be dry. Complement the right type of pasta with the appropriate sauce. Cheese goes well with tomato-based sauces but may not be great with fish-based sauces. Ensure that the sauce and the pasta shape complement each other. Angel hair or thin spaghetti goes best with light sauces while fettuccine is fine with heavier and thicker sauces. If you are opting for chunky sauces, opt for radiator or mostaccioli pasta, which have ridges that allow the sauce to soak right through.

The Basic Marinara Sauce is made up of chopped garlic cloves, chopped tomatoes, dried basil and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté the ingredients lightly in olive oil and simmer for about 20 minutes. You can substitute oregano for basil and add some dry white wine for added flavor.

Yet another wonderful pasta sauce recipe is for Shrimp and Clam Sauce. All you need are minced clams or mussels with liquid and shelled shrimp cut into pieces. Saute them over a pan with olive oil and add garlic and oregano for flavor. This sauce goes best with shell pasta.

Follow this delicious recipe for pasta sauce that you can store in your refrigerator. Add garlic, green onions, lemon zest, olives, hot pepper flakes and capers into a blender till finely done. Add lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and olive oil to give a smooth and creamy consistency.

Basic tomato and basil pasta sauce recipe is simple and works as a good base for any pasta dish. All you need is extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic cloves, chopped tomatoes, dried chili flakes, vinegar, basil leaves, grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper. Stir all the ingredients and bring to a simmer for nearly half an hour. You can leave it chunky or blend it for a smooth sauce. You can add some variety to this sauce by opting for marinated artichokes or fried bacon or prawns or even chopped chicken.

Pasta Primavera

Primavera means 'Spring' in Italian. So Pasta Primavera or Pasta alla Primavera is a refreshing pasta dish that is ideal for the sultry summer days. Primavera pasta sauce is made of minced garlic, beans, carrots, peas and broccoli stirred in a pan and spiced with basil, parsley, pepper, thyme and oregano. Tomatoes are also part of this sauce, cooked till tender but not overdone. Cook the spaghetti and add the Primavera sauce to it. Top it with grated Parmesan cheese. Toss and serve. You can add vegetables of your choice, be it cauliflower, zucchini or even anchovies and broccoli.

Pasta Fagioli

Pasta Fagioli is a traditional Italian soup that is served with grated Parmesan cheese on top. Served with garlic bread and a seasonal salad, you have a great meal on your table.

• Take a large saucepan and add bacon, celery, onion, garlic and carrots. Cook till tender. Keep stirring occasionally.
  
  
• Add red kidney beans and chicken broth and tomato paste and bring to a boil.
  
  
• Add pasta and cook on low heat till it is cooked. Cook it till desired consistency.
  
  
• Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle grated Parmesan and Romano cheese.
  

Antipasto pasta salad recipe

Ingredients: Garlic 2 cloves, Vinegar 2 tbsp, Extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup, Dijon-style mustard 1 tbsp, Vegetable Oil ½ cup, Pepper, Red Pepper flakes, Sun dried tomatoes, Smoked Mozzarella cubes, Garbanzo beans, Sliced Salami, Parsley
Blend together garlic, mustard, vinegar, oils, salt and pepper. Toss pasta with this dressing accompanied by garbanzos, salami, red pepper flakes, parsley and sun dried tomatoes. Serve chilled. You can add black olives or green olives with pimento.