Does anyone have pasta salad recipes for a beginner?

[lillybloom]

Hello everyone,
I have a few people coming over for a buffet at the end of the month. I have the usual sausge rolls, sandwiches, chicken etc. I thought I'd may be bulk it out with some pasta dishes- may be a chicken, a tuna and a veggie one. Does anyone have any easy recipes I can follow?

I've done one before by just roasting some veg (peppers, courgettes, leeks, onions and garlic or something like that) and chucking it in with some pesto. Some toasted pine nuts if you want to make it a bit fancier are nice.

Thanks Effie- that sounds lovely.

Just cook pasta as normal then add a tin of Tuna, tin of Sweetcorn, a couple of tbsp of mayo or salad cream and season, you can also add finely chopped herbs or spring onion for variety.

Do you put the other stuff in when the pasta is warm? Because doesn't the pasta all stick together if it cools or is there some trick to it?

Pasta with olive oil and fresh chilli, sounds boring but it's lovely. Finely chop a few chillies, cut some into large chunks, mix with pasta and olive oil the (ideally the day before) serve at room temperature rather than straight out the fridge.

Always dress a pasta or potato salad warm. :)

cook some pasta
mix in a tin of tuna a tin of sweetcorn and some mayo. A squirt of lemon juice if you feel like it, or leave it out

Super easy & delicous

sorry bumsquash,.... didnt notice u posted that

Pasta, chopped red onion, tomato and cucumber - nice contrast of textures

Chicken chunks cooked with herbs, black olives, basic tomato sauce, toss together

brilliant ladies -knew I could count on you.

Easy pasta salad recipe - originally Italian - tastes great! :)

-Pasta salad with speck and celery-

300 g short pasta
150 g Speck in one slice
4 sticks of celery
1 red chicory
50 g Taggiasca olives, sliced
parsley
½ onion
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Thinly chop the onion and brown it in olive oil for a few minutes, gradually adding some water to prevent the onion from burning. Add the celery cut in thin slices and cook for a few minutes. Before finishing, add the diced speck, the olives and the julienne cut red chicory, adjust salt and pepper, then remove from the flame.
Boil the pasta al dente in salted water, drain and dress it with the celery sauce, mix well adding a dash of olive oil before serving. It is excellent also served at room temperature.

Pictures here:
www.levoni.it/en/doc-s-53-268-1-pasta_salad_with_speck_and_celery.aspx

I love the smoked taste of speck in this recipe! You can also use prague ham in it!

Pasta should be cooled straight away under the cold tap- won't stick together then and its bad food hygene to let it cool on its own- especially with toppings on.

Try celery, red apple, walnuts and salad cream mixed together and left in the fridge overnight.

Oh forgot to add, always use wholewheat pasta with the above, gives it a nice nutty taste.

A wee update ladies- the pastas were a huge hit with everyone. Thanks again.