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by: Sarah

Kick-Ass Pasta Salad Recipe

My mom makes this HEAVENLY pasta salad all of the time, and though it is very different from my pasta salad recipe, it is one that I cannot avoid posting ;). I love that is has such a variety of veggies, has a good source of protein, and that it tastes as good as it looks!

Kick-Ass Pasta Salad Recipe. The perfect choice for your next large gathering. {lifeshouldcostless.com}
Kick-Ass Pasta Salad Recipe. {lifeshouldcostless.com}

Anyway, This particular recipe is one that you could either make it as a side, or I would even be so bold as to serve it as a whole meal because it has all the important food groups and is very filling.

This makes a HUGE batch, like large enough that my biggest mixing bowl couldn’t handle it and I had to borrow a huge bowl from my mom so that I could finish posting this recipe…

So, with that in mind, you can easily half the recipe, in which case a standard 4 Quart Mixing Bowl should handle it just fine… or make the whole thing, for a picnic, bbq, potluck, or any other large gathering and you will have plenty to go around.

Let’s jump right in to a few pics of the process and a little direction. Here are all the ingredients laid out…in two pics.

Kick-Ass Pasta Salad Recipe Ingredients 2

I bought pre-cut cheese and ham for no other reason than I suck at cutting things in uniform sizes and I wanted the pictures to turn out better.

It is WAY cheaper to buy the cheese and ham in blocks and cut it yourself, so please keep that in mind.

However, if you are short on time, it’s also good for you to know that you have options. Below are the veggies that got washed and were waiting to be cut.

Kick-Ass Pasta Salad Recipe Ingredients

Here is how big I cut the carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower.

How large to cut the veggies for kick ass pasta salad..

And the green onion, cherry tomatoes, and olives.

Cut ingredients in kick ass pasta salad. lifeshouldcostless.com

I steamed the carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli together and used the carrots as the reference for when it’s done… just when the carrots are tender enough to easily bite into. Then they were chilled in the fridge.

Blanched veggies for the best kick ass pasta salad. lifeshouldcostless.com

Once you’ve prepped all the ingredients, all that you do is add the ingredients to a very large bowl…for reference, the bowl in the picture below is a 12 Quart Bowl…

Keep in mind you could just use two smaller bowls and put half in each… and mix well. Cover, and chill until ready to serve. Mix before serving.

The yummiest pasta salad recipe. Kick-Ass Pasta Salad. lifeshouldcostless.com
Kick Ass Pasta Salad. The yummiest pasta salad recipe. Kick-Ass Pasta Salad. lifeshouldcostless.com

Doesn’t it look so freakin’ tasty?

I love it so much I can’t wait to be able to eat it on a regular basis again when I’m done slimming down and get to the “maintain” stage.

Kick-Ass Pasta Salad Recipe. The best pasta salad perfect for any large gathering. lifeshouldcostless.com

Anyway, you’ve been patient and it’s time to post the recipe! So here it is:

Yield: 30

kick ass pasta salad

Kick-Ass Pasta Salad Recipe. The perfect choice for your next large gathering. {lifeshouldcostless.com}

Whether it's for a large gathering, or for your family to much on for several days. This pasta salad is super tasty and there are never leftovers at parties.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Large Head Broccoli (washed and chopped)
  • 1 Large Head Cauliflower (washed and chopped)
  • 1 Small Bag Baby Carrots (chopped)
  • 1 (12 oz) Package Wacky Mac Veggie Spirals
  • 2 C Mild Cheddar Cheese (in chunks)
  • 1 C Ham (in chunks)
  • 1 Can Olives (drained and halved)
  • 1 T Garlic (minced)
  • 8 Small Green Onions (washed and chopped)
  • 1 Small Package Cherry or Grape Tomatoes (washed and halved)
  • 1 Cup Italian Dressing (or half of a 16 oz bottle)

Instructions

    1. Steam the Broccoli, Cauliflower, And Carrots until tender, then chill.
    2. Cook the Noodles, with the package directions, drain and chill.
    3. Add all the prepared ingredients into an XL bowl, or two large ones, and stir well.
    4. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
    5. Stir before serving.

Nutrition Information

Yield

30

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 71Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 11mgSodium 186mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 4g
© lifeshouldcostless.com
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Side Dish

As usual folks, if you like it, please make sure to share this post via social media! I appreciate it very much! Also, thanks so much for helping me support my kids. ~Sarah

P.S. You need to check out my salad section as well as my entire recipe section because I only post the good stuff ;)!

P.S.S. If you want to buy me a cup of “coffee” (I don’t drink that stuff, but a Diet Dr Pepper works too) for my efforts, you are welcome to do so via my PayPal account, found here.

Thanks again! ~Sarah

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Hey There, I’m Sarah!

Single mom, stretcher of dollars, & lover of chocolate. I've always got a project going, free printable, recipe, or tip to share. To read more about me and this site, click here.

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