A salad is just a salad until you add pasta.
Pasta salads are light and fresh, yet satisfying and filling. Pasta elements add dimension, comfort and heft, while other ingredients like fresh vegetables and herbs tie the salad together.
As with most one-bowl compositions, the possible combinations of ingredients are infinite. What kind of noodle? What type of protein? What kind of vegetables? And perhaps the most defining question: What will bind the pasta salad? Binding gives the salad that desired viscosity and mouthfeel, and also ramps up flavor.
Click here for Pasta Salads Quick Enhancement Recipe Guide
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Chef Basalik's Tip: |
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| When you're creating composed salads and you want to keep it a bit lighter, consider binding the salad with a vinaigrette, or maybe Ranch or Caesar dressing. Another approach is to build on a vinaigrette by adding just a touch of mayonnaise for viscosity and body. |
Inspiration and Recipes
Our team of chefs took on this favorite warm-weather dish, and the results bring lighter fare to your menu and are also on-trend, familiar, refreshing and satisfying.
Opening up the world of bindings beyond mayonnaise introduces high flavor notes and also keeps the pasta salad light as air. Of course, the pasta element in the salad is key, but Chef Basalik, executive corporate chef at Kraft Foodservice notes that it doesn't always need to take center stage.
Choosing the right noodle depends on the context of the pasta salad. "I look for a pasta that sets off the other ingredients," says Chef Katz, corporate chef at Kraft Foodservice. "You want to ensure the pasta doesn't get lost, and you want to bring in that desired texture."
Behind the Recipes
Caesar-Seafood Pasta Salad
The Caesar-Seafood Pasta Salad delivers the familiarity and popularity of a Caesar salad with the added mega-appeal of seafood. Our chefs turned to Kraft Creamy Caesar dressing to bring in rich texture and vibrancy."The Caesar has wonderful notes of cracked black pepper, lemon and garlic. It's creamy but still keeps the salad on the lighter side, and it's just a perfect match for seafood," says Chef Katz. |
Caesar-Seafood Pasta Salad
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BLT Pasta Salad
The BLT Pasta Salad fuses the much-loved classic BLT into a fresh pasta salad, using Oscar Mayer bacon, roasted red peppers and Kraft Ranch Dressing to bring it all together."We get these beautiful flecks of red from the pepper and the balanced, wonderful flavor of the Ranch," says Chef Basalik. |
BLT Pasta Salad
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Greek Olive-Whole Wheat Pasta Salad
This pasta salad turns to whole-wheat shells for structure and added texture. As a counterpoint to a hearty ingredient list, we toss it with Kraft Golden Italian dressing."The color of the dressing is so vibrant, and it brings with it a great balance of herbs and vinegar," says Chef Katz. |
Greek Olive-Whole Wheat Pasta Salad
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Italian-Style Orzo and Grilled Chicken Salad
Here, we let the pasta take the backseat for a lower starch intake, while grilled chicken breast and butter beans add a double protein punch."This salad has great splashes of color, and Kraft Golden Italian dressing adds more vibrancy in both color and flavor," says Chef Basalik. |
Italian-Style Orzo and Grilled Chicken Salad
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Sesame Soba Noodle Salad
This Soba Noodle Salad answers the pan-Asian trend with lively flavor, using Kraft Oriental Sesame dressing to bring out pleasing notes of soy, sesame and citrus."This salad wakes up that fifth sense, umami, with the mushroom and the soy sauce," says Chef Basalik. |
Sesame Soba Noodle Salad
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Rotini Pasta Salad with Spinach and Tomato
This pasta salad sings with fresh flavors from the spinach and tomato. Black olives and marinated artichoke introduce earthier tones."Here, we chose the Kraft Sun Dried Tomato Oregano dressing for its bright profile that complements this salad so beautifully," says Chef Basalik. |
Rotini Pasta Salad with Spinach and Tomato
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Click here for tips on pairing your pasta salads with the perfect wine. |