Quick and Easy Pasta Salads

I feel like these days of record lows of freezing temperatures and blistering face pains are not going to be disappearing anytime soon, which is extremely depressing. I am normally a big Winter person but this year I am just *SO* over it and I know pretty much everyone else is too.

So to get us excited for Spring and Summer, I’m sharing two very quick and easy pasta salad recipes that are perfect for those picnics and BBQs.

Caprese Pasta Salad 

Ingredients –
1 package of pasta of your liking, cooked (I used mini shells)
1 pint of Grape Tomatoes, cut in half or quartered (depending on your preference)
1 Fresh Mozzarella Ball, cut into small cubes
1 cup fresh Basil or ½ cup dried Basil
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Dressing –
2 cloves of pressed fresh garlic
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
3 tablespoons of Olive Oil

Directions –

1. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the dressing together.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

3. Add in the dressing and mix well.

4. Depending on taste, you may want to add additional vinegar or olive oil. Once at your liking, add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Chill about thirty minutes all together prior to serving.

The next one I made because as I was trying to decide what to make for a BBQ, I found a box of SuddenlySalad (Classic) that I had gotten on sale for $1. I made the salad as directed and added in the following: hard salami, turkey deli, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives. I also added a bit of ranch dressing and a dash of garlic powder, mixed it all together and ta-dah.. a great pasta salad that works perfectly for potlucks, bbqs, and any type of party.

I hope you all like these quick and easy pasta salads and I hope these recipes work well for you and your next event!