Need your best pasta salad recipe

I want to make a great pasta salad tomorrow night. I'm looking for something a bit more interesting then tri color with Italian dressing. I'm hoping to make one with lots of veggies, but it can not have mayonnaise or mustard in the dressing.

Re: Need your best pasta salad recipe

My dressing is easy :
1/4 cup olive oil, 2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic smashed, salt, pepper, grated lemon zest if I have it.
Depending what I add to the pasta, I add fresh chopped oregano or dill.

I use bowtie or orichette pasta, sometimes cheese tortellini.
Add in whatever I have or feel like :
small red, yellow and orange tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes
fresh or roasted peppers
marinated mushrooms
cooked string beans
vidalia onion
olives
mozzarella balls or feta cheese
fresh chopped parsley

I've done roasted eggplant chunks and blanched zucchini. DH does not like broccoli, beans or asparagus so I don't add that.

I've also added diced dried sausage, ham, cooked shrimp.

DH loves pasta salad, so I try to make it healthier by not loading it up with cheese or meats. I toss the dressing with the warm pasta so that it soaks it up, then later add in a bit of pasta cooking water if it seems dry, rather than adding more dressing.

Re: Need your best pasta salad recipe

I've made this one from Thug Kitchen and swapped the raw corn for really thinly sliced zucchini (it's what I had onhand)...it's so damn good.

Language in the link is NSFW.

Need your best pasta salad recipe

I Love making Greek Orzo pasta salad

Orzo Pasta
Kalamata Olives
Red and Yellow Peppers Diced
Red Onion
Artichoke Hearts
Cucumber
Feta Cheese Chunks

You can toss it with a store bought greek viniagrette or make your own with EVOO, Red Wine Vinegar, Salt, Honey or Agave Nectar, Salt, Pepper, Dried Oregano.

Re: Need your best pasta salad recipe

Re: Need your best pasta salad recipe

I've used this recipe before only replacing the Asiago cheese with provolone.

Antipasto Pasta Salad