I have noticed when people get together pasta salad is often included as a side or as a main dish. They add variety of taste and also different colors and textures. There is an wide variety of pasta salads. They have different types of dressings and ingredients . Today we are going to look at a basic Pasta Salad that can be served as either a main dish or a side.
Tasty but Bland
One such pasta salad I had a few times that I liked. At the same time I found it lacking in flavor. The recipe provided a good start. There were a few things that could be done to bring joy to the taste buds.
Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Pack 12 oz Pasta: Bow Tie
- 1 Pack 12 oz Pasta: Mini Penne
- 1 Bottle Coleslaw Dressing (Kraft)
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Pack (Sml) Craisins
- 1 Cup Grapes: Red or Green Sliced in half
- 1 Can (Lrg) Oranges: Mandarin Drained
- 1 Can (Sml) Pineapple: Tidbits Drained
- 1 Can (Sml) Water Chestnuts Optional)
- 1 Cup Celery Finely chopped
Instructions
- Cook and cool the pasta.
- Mix the coleslaw dressing and mayonnaise.
- Mix all the ingredients together with the dressing and chill for a few hours before serving.
As stated earlier the pasta salad the recipe produced was good, but wanted to have a little more flavor in it. I find extra and customized flavors add enjoyment to the end result.
Bolder Flavor
I thought about what I would like to have as the flavor to make it pop. The following is the result of a couple of a series of experiments to get the flavors the way I like them. Once again the goal is to be able to say I made Pasta Salad flavored my way.
My Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Base Recipe
- 1 Pkg 12 oz. Pasta: Bow Tie or Mini Penne
- 1 Pkg 8 oz. Pasta: Tri-Colored Spiral
- 1 Bottle Cole Slaw Dressing (See Note 1)
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 1/4 Cup Poppy Seeds
- 1 Cup Craisins
- 1-2 Cups Grapes: Red and/or Green Sliced in half
- 1 Can (Lrg) Oranges: Mandarina Drained
- 1 Can (Sml) Pineapple: Tidbits Drained
- 1 Can (Sml) Water Chestnuts (Optional)
- 1 Cup Celery: Finely chopped
- 1 Can (Sml) Nuts: Cashews or other preferred nuts (Optional)
Main Dish Add-in
- 4 Chicken Breasts: Boneless Skinless, Cooked and Shredded
Instructions
If Serving as Main Dish
- Cook the chicken seasoned to Your Taste, shred, and let cool. Chicken can be baked, roasted, or grilled.
Base Recipe
- Cook and cool the pasta. (See Note 2)
- Mix the coleslaw dressing, mayonnaise, honey, and poppy seeds together. (See Note 3)
- Mix all the ingredients together and add the dressing.
- Chill for a few hours before serving.
Notes
Pasta Salad My Way
As you can see I added some ingredients to get the flavors more to my liking. Depending on the day and what my taste buds are craving I add more or less of an ingredient. Or I may eliminate it all together. In this recipe I don’t always add the water chestnuts. It is one of those flavors and textures I have to be in the mood for.
I don’t always follow the recipe, even my recipes, every time I make a dish. Varying the recipe from time to time helps keep the dish new and exciting. For most recipes If it tastes the exact same every time it can become boring and may no longer appear to have the bold distinct flavors you were enjoying. This doesn’t mean a dramatic change, only a slight change makes a difference.
At times some of the flavor combinations may seem a little different or something you may not have originally thought might work, but with practice you will become braver in your mixing of flavors. As always you may not get the result you were looking for, however you will learn what works for you and what doesn’t.
Making Pasta Salad Your Way
Once again, the way you like it is probably, will be a little different from the way I like. If you like a flavor add a little more, if you don’t reduce it, or eliminate it. Once again your goal is to be able to say, I made Pasta Salad My Way!