If you are like me, you are ready for family cookouts and gatherings. As the weather keeps getting warmer, more people head to the outdoors for their get togethers. Whether it’s a crawfish boil, barbecue, or picnic, most people love a meal with friends and families in someone’s backyard.
Today, I want to highlight a dish that is easy to prepare and great for these gatherings, Pasta Salad. It’s a dish that you make the night before. The variations are endless. You can easily find one that will be loved by the majority of your guess.
Today, I have gathered 3 different recipes. The first is a meatless one, Mardi Gras Pasta Salad. The second one features seafood, Shrimp Remoulade Pasta Salad. The last one is one that appears often in my kitchen, Perry Street Pasta Salad. Gather your ingredients, and Let’s head to the kitchen!
Mardi Gras Pasta Salad
This salad gets it’s name from the color of its ingredients. Carnival colors are well represented with the Purple cabbage, Green onions, and Yellow corn. Don’t let the name fool you. It’s great anytime of the year.
1 pounds fusilli pasta
1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 cup whole kernel corn
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1 cup mayonnaise (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cook the pasta in boiling water according to the package directions. Drain thoroughly and place in a large mixing bowl. In a skillet, melt the butter and sauté the corn for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn, cabbage and green onions to the pasta. Add the mayonnaise, a little at a time, and toss to coat evenly. Add the mustard, basil, salt and pepper. Toss gently. Served at room temperature or chilled.
Shrimp Remoulade Pasta Salad
This recipe proves that almost anything can be put into a pasta salad. The sharpness of the remoulade sauce adds another layer of flavor to the salad. If you want to add New Orleans taste to a meal, this is a very unique one.
1 pound medium shell pasta, cooked al denté
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Creole mustard
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon horseradish
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning
2 stalks celery, diced
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1/2 small red bell pepper, diced
1/2 pound small cooked shrimp
In a large bowl stir together mayonnaise, Creole mustard, chili sauce, horseradish, hot sauce, sugar, and Creole seasoning. Fold in pasta, celery, green onions, red bell pepper, and shrimp.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Perry Street Pasta Salad
This is one of the first dishes I created that was requested by my wife. We were invited to a cookout and she asked me if I had ever made a pasta salad, which I had not. After a quick trip to the grocery store, here is the results. It is named for the street we lived on when it was created.
24 ounces rainbow rotini cooked al dente
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
½ large green bell pepper, diced
½ large yellow bell pepper, diced
½ large red bell pepper, diced
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 can (2.25ounce) black olives, sliced and drained
1 pound ham diced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
16 ounce bottle Robusto Italian dressing
Cook pasta in water with olive oil and salt until al dente. Cool with
running water. Add vegetables and ham to the pasta and toss. Add dry
seasonings to salad and toss. Add salad dressing and toss. Refrigerate
at least 2 hours before serving. Toss before serving.
Pasta salads are some of the easiest dishes to make. It’s a great way to involve children. With the only cooking being the pasta, it’s a safe way to let them assist you. Cooking is a great skill for all ages.
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