The Everything Salad Book (12 page)

Orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, adds a delicate texture and flavor to the salad. For a nuttier taste, lightly sauté the orzo in a little butter before cooking.

1. Cook orzo according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, wash the spinach and leave it in the colander so it has time to dry.
   

2. Stir cooked orzo and pine nuts together in a bowl. Add dressing to bowl and mix. Stir dried spinach and pear into the bowl. Mix well and serve.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........162

Fat:..........6.5 g

Protein:..........5 g

Sodium:..........101 mg

Fiber:..........2.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........22 g

This recipe has the perfect blend of tangy and creamy to end up the first empty bowl at a potluck.

1. Cook pasta al dente according to packaging. Drain, rinse, drain well, and pour pasta into a bowl.
   

2. Add pickle relish and Thousand Island dressing to pasta. Stir gently and mix well. Fold celery, radish, and carrots into salad. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 12 hours before serving. Crumble egg slices and fold into salad just before serving.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........217

Fat:..........8.5 g

Protein:..........7 g

Sodium:..........395 mg

Fiber:..........2 g

Carbohydrate:..........29 g

Bulgur wheat may also be called bulgar, bulghur, and burghul wheat.

1. Place bulgur wheat in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and soak for 1 hour. To drain, put wheat in center of fine cotton towel and close the towel around the wheat to form a tight bag. Squeeze the wheat with your hands to remove excess water.
   

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta and place in a large mixing bowl. Stir drained wheat, onion, parsley, mint, and cucumbers into bowl.
   

3. Add lemon juice and oil to bowl. Mix ingredients together with clean hands, as a spoon will not mix thoroughly enough. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or chill until needed.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........162

Fat:..........9 g

Protein:..........3 g

Sodium:..........1.5 mg

Fiber:..........2 g

Carbohydrate:..........18 g

Tabbouleh is a Levantine, or eastern Arabic, salad made with bulgur wheat. Bulgur wheat is parboiled wheat that is then dried and broken into small pieces. Tabbouleh recipes usually call for the soaked wheat to be mixed with fresh green onions, parsley, and mint in a lemon juice and olive oil dressing. The salad also often contains ripe tomatoes and/or cucumbers.

This hearty salad works as a side dish or as an entrée. Substitute vegetarian Worcestershire sauce for regular to keep the salad free of animal products.

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse pasta. Add to a large mixing bowl. While the pasta is cooking, slice mushroom caps into strips about ½-inch wide and 3-inches long. Set mushrooms aside.
   

2. Whisk vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, 4 tablespoons oil, salt, lemon pepper, paprika, and dill together in a small bowl. Whisk until emulsified. Pour mixture over cooked pasta and toss to coat. Add celery and parsley to pasta.
   

3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sliced mushrooms, shallots, and garlic to skillet. Sauté for 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Pour skillet contents over the pasta. Toss well to mix and coat.
   

4. Let salad cool for 5 minutes. Cover bowl with lid and place cooled salad in refrigerator. Let salad marinate for 30 minutes. Toss well before serving.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........151

Fat:..........11 g

Protein:..........3 g

Sodium:..........82 mg

Fiber:..........1 g

Carbohydrate:..........15 g

Penne is cylinder-shaped Italian pasta made to hold the sauce both on top and inside the noodle. This means it's particularly important to cook the pasta al dente, or until thoroughly cooked but still firm.

Pasta salads are a great choice during the summer months. Make the salad in the morning or evening, then let it marinate until serving time. If you cannot find gemelli pasta, any other medium-size twisted pasta will work.

1. In large bowl, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, milk, salsa, and chile paste and mix well. Stir in bell peppers, jalapeño pepper, chicken, and queso fresco and mix well. Place corn and peas on top of salad mixture.
   

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and stir into salad mixture while hot. Stir gently to coat all ingredients with dressing, cover, and refrigerate for 1–2 hours to blend flavors.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........486

Fat:..........18 g

Protein:..........25 g

Sodium:..........370 mg

Fiber:..........4.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........60 g

Queso fresco, which is Spanish for fresh cheese, is an extremely popular kind of Mexican white cheese. The cheese has a mild flavor with a little bite and a semi-soft, crumbly texture. If you cannot find queso fresco, you can use a mild feta cheese. If you're really in a bind, you can use a little Monterey jack, but it will change the flavor and texture of the dish.

Serve this salad alone, with crusty chunks of bread, or as a side for a lamb dish.

1. In a large salad bowl, whisk the lemon juice together with the olive oil, oregano, mustard, and garlic. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 12 hours.
   

2. Immediately before serving, toss the pasta with the almonds, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, olives, and feta cheese. Serve over the lettuce.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........443

Fat:..........35 g

Protein:..........10 g

Sodium:..........564 mg

Fiber:..........4.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........27 g

The leftovers of this traditional comfort recipe works as a snack, meal, or filling for a sandwich.

1. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, onion, salt, and pepper.
   

2. Prepare the macaroni according to package instructions; drain and cool.
   

3. Stir half the mayonnaise into the macaroni, then add the remaining ingredients along with the remaining mayonnaise, combining well. Serve immediately or cover and chill in refrigerator.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........249

Fat:..........19 g

Protein:..........9 g

Sodium:..........444 mg

Fiber:..........1.5 g

Carbohydrate:..........11 g

A classic creamy pasta salad with vegan mayonnaise. Add a can of kidney beans or chickpeas for a protein boost.

1. Combine the macaroni, carrot, peas, corn, and celery in a large bowl.
   

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, and relish. Combine with macaroni.
   

3. Stir in the fresh dill and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
   

4. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving, to allow flavors to combine and to soften veggies. Mix gently before serving.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........237

Fat:..........5 g

Protein:..........6 g

Sodium:..........172 mg

Fiber:..........3 g

Carbohydrate:..........41 g

One secret to making flavorful vegan pasta salads is to use heavily salted water when boiling the pasta. So go ahead, dump in a full tablespoon (or even two!) of salt to the cooking water.

Use refrigerated tortellini to ensure the freshest taste possible. Filled tortellini in cans tends to have too many preservatives to taste handmade.

1. Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta. While it is still warm, toss in a deep bowl with ¼ cup Italian salad dressing. Allow to cool at room temperature 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   

2. Meanwhile, blanch the beans, then place in a bowl with the onion and remaining ¼ cup Italian dressing; stir to coat. Marinate about 30 minutes at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
   

3. Cover both bowls and refrigerate. Allow the pasta and the vegetables to marinate separately at least 4 hours or overnight.
   

4. When ready to serve, add the beans and dressing to the pasta, along with the tomato and bacon. Add the ranch dressing and parsley, and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
   

PER SERVING

Calories:..........278

Fat:..........17 g

Protein:..........10 g

Sodium:..........749 mg

Fiber:..........2 g

Carbohydrate:..........23 g

Fresh pasta needs only a minute or two of cooking, just to heat through. Nowadays, you can buy freshly made pasta (usually refrigerated) in the supermarket, and although it's more expensive than the boxed variety, think of it as a special treat.

Add seared and sliced chicken, steak, or salmon to turn the pasta salad into a full meal.

1. Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta.
   

2. While it is still warm, toss in a deep bowl with about ¼ cup salad dressing. Allow to cool at room temperature 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   

3. Meanwhile, partially peel the cucumber by removing ¼-inch strips of skin ¼-inch apart. Quarter the cucumber lengthwise, and slice. Combine the cucumber with the carrot and onion in a deep narrow bowl or container.
   

4. Add about ½ cup dressing and stir to coat. Allow to marinate about 30 minutes at room temperature, stirring occasionally. Cover both bowls and refrigerate. Allow the pasta and the vegetables to marinate separately for at least 4 hours or overnight.
   

5. When ready to serve, add the vegetables and their dressing to the pasta and toss with the cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.