15 easy and irresistible pasta salads

Pasta salads for all tastes

There is life beyond pasta salads with lettuce and a can of tuna. We give you ideas that are easy to do and are also very nutritious.

Pasta salad with vegetables and prawns

Recipes for quick salads based on pasta, there are endless, but we love this one because it is so complete. Boil the pasta al dente in plenty of salty water. When there are 4 minutes left, add zucchini strips and peeled carrot. While cooking, in a nonstick skillet, sauté some onion. Add some peeled prawns or prawns (they can also be frozen). And finally, mix everything in a bowl with a little chopped dill.

Macaroni with arugula, tomatoes and quail eggs

You can also be encouraged to try this light pasta salad from our blogger Delicious Martha, which is as easy to make as it is delicious. All you need is rigatoni, quail eggs, cherry tomatoes, arugula and parmesan powder. You can put the eggs boiled, or fried as she does.

Spirals with tender shoots and red berries

To make this cold pasta salad, we have cooked some colored spirals al dente and mixed them with tender sprouts of spinach and arugula, and red fruits (strawberries, currants, raspberries …). Fruit is a perfect fit in pasta salads, making it easier for you to meet the recommendation of eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. But beware that it cannot be done with fruit alone.

Pasta bows with chicken, lamb's lettuce and hearts of palm

It is as simple as what you see. You cook some bows or any type of short pasta (it is the most suitable for salad because it makes it easy to mix the ingredients well). You drain them and cool them with water. You mix them with grilled chicken strips (or that you have left over from another meal). And the salad touch you give it with a handful of lamb's lettuce and palm hearts cut into slices. Yum!

Pasta salad with artichokes, tomatoes and fresh cheese

Here is a delicious salad made of spirals, vegetables and cheese that fits perfectly as a takeout to work because it holds up well and can be eaten both hot and cold if you want to go from reheating. See recipe.

Macaroni with broccoli and prawns

Another delicious option if you are looking for easy pasta salads are these macaroni with broccoli and prawns, a nutritious and very balanced option that does not have to be too heavy if you use the right amount of pasta and lighten the sauce using a light cheese. See recipe.

Tortellini with tomatoes, mozzarella and anchovies

Although it is not the most common, you can also make pasta salads with tortellini or other stuffed pastas. We have taken some tortellini stuffed with spinach and cottage cheese, and we have served them on lettuce leaves with cherry tomatoes cut in half, mozzarella balls, and chopped anchovies. A delicious and nutritious unique dish.

Bows with vegetables

A classic of pasta salads for when it is not so hot is to make them warm with sauteed vegetables as we have done with these bows. And if you want it to be more complete, so that it has more protein you can add a handful of cooked chickpeas, or a little cottage cheese, or some grilled turkey cubes. See recipe.

Pasta salad with tuna, lamb's lettuce and pickles

The beneficial and healthy oily fish also fits very well in pasta salads. This we have made with spirals, grilled tuna cubes, a handful of lamb's lettuce and minced pickles (capers, pickles and olives). But it is just as delicious with salmon, canned tuna or sardines, which even if they are canned are very healthy and give a lot of play.

Spiral salad with spinach, cucumber and apple

While you cook some spirals of pasta, cut cucumber slices, diced tomato and some slices of apple. Drain the pasta and chill it. Mix it with the rest of the ingredients, some fresh spinach leaves and a little sweet corn and pumpkin seeds. Salt and pepper and season with a little oil, vinegar and mustard. And decorate with some fresh mint leaves.

Bows with zucchini, bell pepper and carrot

Cook a few bowls of pasta until al dente and drain. While they cook, take the opportunity to make carrot, pepper and zucchini strips and sauté them in a non-stick pan with a thread of oil. Then mix it all up. And decorate with parmesan flakes or fresh cheese cubes if you want it to have fewer calories. Find out how many calories your favorite cheese has.

Lightning fast spiral salad

Cook some colored spirals or lentil pasta if you want them to have more protein, and mix them with cherry tomatoes cut in half and things that you had on hand in the fridge or pantry: canned corn cobs, broad beans and canned beans or that you have left over from another meal, a can of tuna … Imagination to power!

Marinated macaroni with mushrooms

To make this pasta salad, slice some mushrooms (one of the most filling and lightest foods that exist), sprinkle them with lemon juice and let them marinate for about 20 minutes. Then, you just have to mix them with boiled and drained macaroni, and raw tomato and chopped parsley. That easy and simply delicious.

Spinach mushroom ravioli

As with tortellini, you can also improvise a pasta salad with ravioli like this one. Here we have combined some artichoke with tomatoes, mushrooms sautéed with garlic and parsley and a bed of fresh spinach. Discover more recipes with spinach that are irresistible and easy to make.

Spirals with roasted vegetables

One of the most widespread myths is that pasta is fattening and it doesn't have to be that way. If you use the right amount and are looking for good company (as in this salad of spirals, vegetables and chickpeas that serves as a single dish), you have nothing to fear. It is one of the recipes to lose weight by eating pasta!

How to make pasta salad and get the most out of it

To make it a salad, in addition to pasta, it must have a good proportion of fresh vegetables, and even fruits, to add fiber and vitamins.
The most suitable pasta for making salad is the short one (spirals, bows, macaroni, shells …). The long one (spaghetti, noodles …) does not mix as well with the rest of the ingredients, unless you cut it.
If you want it to be a unique dish, in addition to pasta and vegetables, add more protein: legumes, cheeses, prawns, mussels, clams, chicken, turkey, salmon or tuna taquitos and canned sardines.

Easy and irresistible pasta salads

Pasta salad with vegetables and prawns
Macaroni with arugula, tomatoes and quail eggs
Spirals with tender shoots and red berries
Pasta bows with chicken, lamb's lettuce and hearts of palm
Pasta salad with artichokes, tomatoes and fresh cheese
Macaroni with broccoli and prawns
Tortellini with tomatoes, mozzarella and anchovies
Bows with warm vegetables
Pasta salad with tuna, lamb's lettuce and pickles
Spiral salad with spinach, cucumber and apple
Bows with zucchini, bell pepper and carrot
Spiral salad, cherry tomatoes, corn and tuna
Marinated macaroni and mushrooms
Spinach ravioli with mushrooms
Spirals with roasted vegetables

Can you eat pasta on a diet?

Yes, since by itself, the pasta has hardly any fat. The problem if you want to lose weight is the amount of pasta and the sauce or accompaniment that you add.

Tricks to lighten it

Right on. At noon, between 60 and 80 g of pasta per person is enough. If it's for dinner, reduce to 40-60 g of pasta.
Cook it al dente. To make you feel more satisfied, it should be al dente, that is, soft on the outside and a little harder on the inside.
Drink it cold. Yes, as you read. When pasta cools, the starch it contains turns into resistant starch, a type of starch that is up to three times more satiating.
More fiber. Choose whole grain pasta to increase the amount of fiber in your diet. Fiber does not make you lose weight, but it does contribute to a feeling of satiety, and facilitates intestinal transit.
Fat raisins. As a side, use lean meats, fresh or low-fat cheeses, and opt for light sauces and vinaigrettes.