6 Healthy Pasta Salads to Save Your Waistline
By Allison Milam
Right up there with the burgers and hot dogs, pasta salad is one of those can’t-pass-up dishes that we can’t wait to serve up every summer, when we finally dust off the grill and throw a backyard cookout. Though the pasta and macaroni salads you’re used to may have been drenched in mayo, these better-for-you recipes prove that, with a few easy modifications, you can still take a scoop of this classic side without derailing your healthy lifestyle.
Just because you’re lightening up your pasta salad, it doesn’t mean you have to go without the creamy texture you grew up on. Instead of leaving the mayo out altogether, simply ease up on it for a lighter American Macaroni Salad. Food Network Kitchen’s quintessential recipe also loads up on veggies, so you get their crunch and nutrients.
A smooth dressing of buttermilk, reduced-fat sour cream, cider vinegar and scallions gives Corn and Pasta Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing a tangy creaminess without going overboard. Bulk it up with corn, grape tomatoes, onion, arugula and a smart sprinkling of two slices of crumbled bacon for a pasta salad that is so much more than pasta.
Corn and Pasta Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing
4 ounces gemelli pasta
1 small garlic clove
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 scallion, minced
2 small ears fresh corn
8 ounces grape tomatoes, preferably mixed heirloom, halved
¼ small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
4 cups baby arugula
2 slices bacon, cooked until crisp in the microwave, and crumbled
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain and run under cold water to cool.
Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic clove on a cutting board; sprinkle with salt. Using the blade of a chef’s knife, press down onto garlic, smashing it to make a paste. Add the garlic paste to a large bowl with the sour cream, buttermilk, cider vinegar and scallion; season with salt and pepper. Whisk the dressing until smooth and reserve.
Cut the kernels from the corn (breaking sheets of kernels into about 2-inch pieces, if desired). Add the corn, tomatoes, onion and arugula to bowl with dressing; gently toss to coat. Sprinkle with the bacon.
From Food Network Kitchens
Rather than a classic creamy dressing, Rachael Ray’s Radicchio-Pasta Salad comes with a vibrant dressing brimming with orange and oregano. Counter the sweet-tangy dressing with bitter red greens and onions for a balanced pasta salad ready for picnicking in under 20 minutes.
Kids will go wild for Ellie Krieger’s better-for-you Rainbows and Butterflies Pasta Salad for Food Network Magazine. Toss whole-grain bow-tie pasta with corn kernels, edamame, diced red peppers and shredded carrots for a bright, veggie-packed dish that’s even better with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Switch up your next pasta salad by using short-cut orzo instead of macaroni, penne and other shapes. Food Network Magazine’s Minted-Squash Orzo Salad recipe tosses sauteed slices of yellow squash in a skillet before combining it with the orzo, crumbled feta and fresh mint.
Watch Ellie Krieger make her healthy recipe for Whole-Wheat Pasta Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese . Tossed with walnuts and a Dijon vinaigrette with just a touch of walnut oil, this hearty pasta salad works as a simple side for a summer picnic or as lunch, no matter the occasion.
Get more healthy grilling inspiration with our guide to lighter cookout classics.
More from Food Network:
Fruit Salad is No Longer Boring
You Should be Spiking Your Green Juice
