Pasta salad is a simple and tasty dish that you can easily make at home with just a few ingredients. You don’t need to spend much money or time to make this. It is light, healthy, and good for everyone. You can eat it for lunch, dinner or even an evening snack. Kids also like it because of the colourful look and soft taste.
You can make pasta salad with boiled pasta, vegetables and a little spices. This is a cold dish, which means you can keep it in the fridge and eat it later, too. If you want to take it to a picnic or an office lunchbox, this is a good option. It is also good for people who want to eat light and avoid oily or fried food. Now let’s understand how to make pasta salad in easy steps.
Ingredients
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2 cups boiled pasta (any shape, like penne or fusilli)
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1 cup chopped cucumber
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1 cup chopped tomatoes
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1/2 cup boiled corn
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1/2 cup chopped onions
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1/2 cup chopped capsicum (any colour)
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Salt to taste
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Black pepper to taste
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2 spoons of lemon juice
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1 spoon olive oil (or any light oil)
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A few coriander or mint leaves for garnish
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Optional: 1 spoon of mayonnaise or curd for a creamy taste
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How to Make Pasta Salad at Home
First of all, take the pasta and boil it properly in hot water. You can add a little salt while boiling. Boil till the pasta becomes soft, but not too soft. After boiling, drain the water and keep the pasta aside to cool down. Never use hot pasta for salad, because then it will become sticky and not taste fresh.
Now take all vegetables like cucumber, onion, tomato, capsicum and boil the corn. Cut everything in small small pieces so that they mix properly in a salad. Keep all chopped vegetables ready in one big bowl. Make sure vegetables are fresh and not too wet.
After that, add the cooled pasta to the same bowl with the vegetables. Mix everything slowly with a spoon so that the pasta does not break. Then, put salt and black pepper as per your taste. Add lemon juice and one spoonful of olive oil to give it a shiny and light taste. If you like a creamy taste, you can also add one spoonful of mayonnaise or thick curd. But this is fully your choice. You can also skip this step.
After mixing everything nicely, keep the bowl in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes. Cold pasta salad tastes better than warm one. Before serving, put a few fresh coriander or mint leaves on top for garnish. That’s it. Your pasta salad is ready to eat.
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Why This Salad is Good
This salad is very good for the body. It is not fried, not spicy and not heavy on the stomach. It has fresh vegetables, which give vitamins and fibre. Pasta gives energy. Corn adds a sweet taste. Lemon juice and black pepper help digestion. This is good for kids, old people and even people who want to lose weight. You don’t need much oil or butter in this, so it is light and simple.
Also, pasta salad saves time. You can make it in 15–20 minutes. You can also keep it in the fridge and eat it the next day. It does not go bad easily. If you are working or busy, just make this in the morning and carry it in a tiffin. You will feel full and happy.
This is also a very colourful dish. So if you have guests at home or a party, this looks nice on the table. People think it is some special item, but it is so easy to make. That’s why many people like this dish now.
Tips for Making Better Salad
If you want to make your pasta salad better, always choose fresh vegetables. Don’t keep chopped items for long. Always cool the pasta before mixing. You can also add some fruits, like an apple or a pineapple, for a sweet taste. If you like cheese, add a little bit of grated cheese on top. It gives a nice look and taste. But do not add too many things; keep it simple.
If you are giving to children, avoid onions and put more corn or tomato. If you are eating for a diet, don’t put mayonnaise and use only lemon and salt. This dish can be changed as per your needs. That is why this is called flexible food. You can make it spicy, sweet, creamy or plain — whatever you want.
So this was the simple way to make pasta salad. No big ingredients, no heavy cooking, just boil, chop and mix. In this hot weather, eating something light is good for the body. This salad is the best option for that. Once you start eating it, you will love the taste and also feel healthy. Make it at home today and see how easy and tasty this is.