Perfecting the Healthy Pasta Salad
Oh, pasta salad. It seems like no cookout would be complete without it. Everyone has their favorite recipe — some lighter than others. Avoid the common pitfalls and keep your mix nutritious and delicious with these tips and recipes.
Calories in Classic Pasta Salads
I remember growing up eating kosher hot dogs with a spoonful of mayonnaise-drenched macaroni salad on the side. These days, I don’t touch any salad dripping in mayo, and it wouldn’t make the menu in my house. A typical 1/2 cup serving of classic macaroni salad contains 310 calories — about two-thirds of the calories come from fat (about 22 grams). Whether you make it with macaroni or any other noodle, when you use full-fat mayonnaise or loads of oil, you’re not doing yourself or your guests any favors.
The Pasta
Start by switching to whole-wheat pasta or using another whole-grain pasta like Barilla Plus. This is a good way to up your dish’s fiber. With 80 calories per 1/3 cup of pasta, be mindful of the portion size (remember, this is a side dish) and stick with 1/2 cup servings.
The Fats
Typical pasta salad have several types of fat poured on them: oils, mayo, heavy cream, sour cream, pesto sauce or fatty dressings (or sometimes a combination of these ingredients). As we always say, fat is not the enemy, BUT when you add tons of it to a side dish, problems start. The rule of thumb should be about 1 tablespoon of oil or 2 tablespoons of low-fat mayo or dressing per serving.
The Veggies
Here’s where you can load up on the good stuff. Tomatoes, onions, celery, bell peppers and scallions are wonderful to use in a pasta salad. Toss in any of your weekly market finds. My favorite ingredients are green olives and tomatoes — there’s no need to add extra salt since the olives are salty to begin with.
Other Fun Add-Ins
Pine nuts, chicken, beans, mozzarella or feta cheese jazz up a pasta salad easily. Remember, that all these “extras” tack on more calories so use them sparingly to just add flavor. My young kids have sensitive taste buds — I tend to keep my salads pretty light with simple flavors. One basic pasta salad we often make has fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and a touch of olive oil mixed with the pasta. They usually end up picking out just the noodles, but once in a while, I catch them tasting a tomato (they do it on the sly).
- Healthy pasta salad recipes to try:
- Garden Pasta Salad
- Healthy Pasta Salad (shown above)
- Pasta, Tuna and Roasted Pepper Salad
- Wilted Greens and Pasta Salad
[Photo: Born With A Whisk / Recipezaar]
TELL US: What’s your prized pasta salad combo?
My family favorite pasta salad has olives, quartered artichoke hearts, cherry or grape tomatoes and zesty italian salad dressing mixed in with the pasta. It is great for potlucks and bbq’s.
This sounds great. Just made some pasta salad ‘Mediterranean Style’ last Sunday with Whole Grain Rotini, cucumber, roma tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, black olives, red onions and feta cheese crumbles topped with a Greek dressing. Always a success!! Thanks for the recipe……..
I will make ratatoutille or caponata and then when cool mix that with pasta and then sprinkle a little sherry vinegar on it and mix for my favorite summer pasta salad.
I always enjoy using light salad dressing deluded with 1% milk on many of my pasta salads. I love to put a few sweet pickles, black olives, red redishes (my mother always included these) some cucumbers, celery, scallions, diced tomatoes and frozen peas. Everyone loves this especially my husband who enjoys a few small salad shrimp added. I also make potato salad with same dressing adding a little prepared mustard and adding hard boiled eggs. I exclude shrimp, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
An easy, fast dressing on pasta salad is Wishbone Fat Free Dressing. It has only 20 calories per 2 tablespoons and wont go bad in the heat at picnics like a dressing that has mayo in it.
i like very much your ideas to keep with good habit to eat very nutrition,pls give ideas for snaks to give my daugther go to work and college she does not time to a good food
If not watching the calories; Creamy Italian dressing is the best! Pasta, cucumber, tomato, black olive, green onions, and Salad Supreme Seasoning by McCormick.
Any recipe featuring full-fat mayonnaise may pose risks and will need a second look from the consumer. It appears the trouble lies with the dressing – drenching oil, “heavy cream, sour cream, pesto sauce or fatty dressings”. These make the food look attractive at restaurants but affect us adversely. Alternatives like Barilla Plus and beans will suitably serve as substitutes and make us enjoy our favorite recipes in a more healthy way.
My pasta salad calls for any of the tri-color veggie pastas or whole grain pasta (i switch types regularly to keep it interesting) add grape or cherry tomatoes, minced Vidalia onion, green, red, yellow and orange peppers diced, slivered jicama, cucumber slices and it’s topped with either fat free or low fat Italian dressing – no mayo need apply
(rats – now I’m hungry…)
Brown rice pasta tastes exactly like regular pasta and is WAY healthier!
Recently I boiled elbow pasta, rinsed and cooled it for cold pasta salad, added halved cherry tomatoes and a can or ham or chicken. I did add mayonnaise but added less. I wanted to add onions but not all of my sons like them so I left them out. Since my husband and sons enjoyed it so much I made more that week.
I am not overly fond of most pasta salads because of the heavy mayo dressings.
However, with the light Italian style dressing and lots of fresh veggies, I have learned to appreciate pasta salad as an alternate to potato salad for summer cookouts, etc.
My pasta salad is healthy and tasty! I start with whole grain rotini and add capers, finely chopped red onion and low fat grated cheese. I make my own vinagrette to control the salt content with balsamic vinegar, evoo, and sea salt. Drizzle over and mix in. Simple and delicious!
i love it.i think nice food.thank you
oricheitte pasta with roasted beets, goat cheese, arugula, and some nuts for crunch…and of course, fresh grated parm
I also like adding a little Pepperoni, which I tear into smaller pieces. This is especially good with a pasta salad that has Light Italian as the dressing….Crumbles of Bleu Cheese add alot of flavor, too.
my salad consist of 3color pasta tomatoes cucumbers black olices broccoli red onions and a light red wine vinigaret with a dash of salad seasoning you can also add different cheeses depending on what you like or diet your on. mots blue even fetta what ever you fancy yum yum
nice photo
this sound delish and healthy..
I want the pasta to have a lot of flavor by itself, so I add mrs dash to the boiling water. Sometimes,save some of the starchy water & boil it down (takes a little time) & add it to the dressing. When the pasta is hot add no fat italian. Love the green olives too!
I normally use the multi colored spiral pasta noodles, raw spinach chopped,cherry or grape tomatoes, red onions, black and green olives, and light Italian salad dressing. (Shrimp, lobster, or crab optional.
I can not retieve recipes. I have tried all of my computers and have also asked friends to try. It freezes our computers. I miss getting recipes!
Cathy Parlitsis’s comment on “Brown rice pasta tastes exactly like regular pasta and is WAY healthier!” is music to my ears, I try to remain gluten-free since it iritates my system and makes me feel bloated, I can enjoy pasta salad again!, Thanks
Try adding red wine vinegar to the whole grain pasta while it is still hot. It soaks up lots of flavor. Then add veggies of your choice with a little olive oil Delish!
I use equal parts mayo/sour cream. Cuts down on the heaviness. Squeeze some lime, chopped cilantro, parsley , basil, red,yellow orange peppers, celery, olives and tomatoes. With the tri colored pasta, it is so beautiful.
I add some chopped ham or pepironi too and that makes it a complete meal in one bowl. I agree that the light Italian dressing goes well with all the veggies and does not over power any of them. I am now hungry for some so must go boil water.