Winter hardly seems the time for pasta salads, but if you’ve worked up a sweat shoveling snow, then a cool side dish hits the spot. This simple recipe makes up in quick order and the ingredients can be found in almost every store that sells groceries.

If I’m fixing lunch for just a couple people, I follow this recipe and have a reasonable amount of salad. However, if I am inviting company for lunch, I double or triple the recipe. I have never ended up with too many leftovers.

I like using the mixed vegetables because they are colorful. The different shapes add some interest to the dish too. However, if you have a picky eater in the family, who only likes green beans, simply replace the mixed vegetables with the favorite green beans.

When you are purchasing ingredients, you have the ability to control the fat and sodium content of this recipe by the selection you make in the dressing. It seems every brand of salad dressing is available in many dietary varieties.

Creamy Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

8 oz. Spiral Pasta Twists
8 oz. frozen Mixed Vegetables
8 oz. Ranch Salad Dressing
1 c. shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

Prepare pasta in boiling water according to package directions. Drain. Mix with vegetables, dressing and cheese. Chill for one hour.

Approximate Nutritional Information: Servings Per Recipe: 6, Total Per Serving: Calories: 451, Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 356mg, Total Carbs: 81g, Protein: 18g.

Make It a Meal: Add this side dish to your next soup and sandwich lunch. Served with a huge deli sub, you will feel like you have a dinner winner.

Serve this pasta salad with Smoky Hot Chili, Beef Vegetable Soup or Tuna Melt Sandwiches.

Variations: Change out the mixed vegetables for your favorite veggie. Chop up some broccoli and ham. Add in some diced tomatoes and onions.

The more items you add to the salad, the heartier the dish becomes. By time you have added a couple more vegetables and some chopped meat, you have got a single dish that works as a full meal.

Creamy pasta salad will keep in the refrigerator for a week if you are lucky. A batch usually only lasts a day at my house!

This dish is a good addition to potlucks and picnics. The neutral flavor of Ranch dressing does not compete with the flavors of your main dish, no matter what cuisine you are serving.

Also, if you don’t have spiral pasta noodles, you can substitute and shape of noodle that you do have on hand. I like to add some color and tri-colored noodles.

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#PastaSalad #ApronFreeCooking #RanchDressing