Name: Balsamic Salad with Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 5-6 oz spring mix lettuce; 1 cup matchstick carrots (chopped); 3 roma tomatoes (seeded & diced); 2 cups steamed broccoli florets (cooled completely & chopped); 2-3 cups cooked pasta (drained & cooled completely, roughly 8 ounces uncooked); 1/4 cup thinly sliced pimento stuffed green olives; 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp balsamic dressing; 3 tbsp mayonnaise; salt & pepper (to taste)

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Balsamic salad with pasta is a creamy, filling salad perfect for lunch, dinner, or as a side for barbecues and potlucks in the warmer months. This easy salad features tons of flavorful veggies and lots of crunch all tossed in a tangy dressing.

This isn’t your mama’s pasta salad.

It’s not some limp noodles in a ho hum dressing.

No way.

This is more of an actual salad with pasta in place of croutons for some extra heartiness.

You’ll never go back to eating salad any other way.

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need:

Lettuce– I recommend spring mix. You could also switch it out for arugula or even baby spinach.
Carrots– The matchstick kind, chopped.
Roma tomatoes– Seeded and diced.
Broccoli– Steamed, cooled completely, and chopped.
Pasta– Any kind of pasta you like. Just make sure it’s cooked according to the directions on the package and cooled completely.
Olives– Sliced pimento stuffed green olives.
Balsamic- Either your favorite balsamic dressing or balsamic vinegar.
Mayonnaise– Real mayo not mayonnaise style dressing.
Salt and pepper– To taste

How to Steam Broccoli

One of the ingredients in this salad is steamed broccoli.

Don’t let steaming the broccoli intimidate you! It’s so easy to do!

I just pop it in a microwave safe bowl, topped with a paper plate.

Then add a tablespoon or two of water to the bowl and microwave for 3 to 5 minutes or until steamed to your liking.

How to Make

This is the easiest salad ever to make!

To do it, just add all the ingredients except for the salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl and stir it together until it is evenly combined.

Then, give it a taste and season it with salt and pepper as desired.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Storing leftovers

I don’t recommend saving leftovers. The veggies will get soggy.

Tips and Tricks

Don’t worry- yes, the mayo will mix in evenly- moisture from the dressing and veggies will ensure this.
Don’t skip the mayo, it gives this salad the slightly creaminess that really sets it apart from traditional side salads.
I like to chop the lettuce before adding to the mix that way there’s no big pieces and a little bit of everything in each bite. Easiest way I’ve found to do this is dump the lettuce into the mixing bowl first, and give it 3-4 good snips with a pair of kitchen sheers.
Want more veggies in your salad? Chopped cucumbers and drained and chopped canned beets are both delicious in this
You may find you want more mayo, but don’t over do it. You want just enough to make the mixture slightly creamy. It’s first and foremost a salad, NOT a pasta salad.

Other Salads You’ll Love

This balsamic salad with pasta is a fabulous way to get everyone to eat and enjoy their veggies. Make it and enjoy!

Looking or other salad ideas? Try these:

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