We love this pasta salad it makes a lot but stands up all week.

Pasta Salad
1 lb rotini (I use the tri colored) cooked
1 16 oz bottle Italian salad dressing (I use Bernstein's garlic and cheese)
1 small jar Shilling's salad supreme seasoning
2 cucumbers shredded
2 zucchinis shredded
2 tomatoes diced
1 red onion diced
Cook rotini, cool and add all the other ingredients and toss well. Cool at least 4 to 6 hours to blend flavors.

Enjoy

Linda

Here's a good one posted by Jo.

Orzo Summer Salad

1 box orzo pasta
1 large red onion, chopped
1 green pepper; chopped
1 yellow pepper; chopped
1 can artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
1 container grape tomatoes; halved
1 cup (+ /-) feta cheese; cut into small cubes
1 cup mixed fresh olives; coarsely chopped
bottle Paul Newman Balsamic Vinaigrette salad dressing
Cook pasta; rinse with cold water; drain and toss with ½ the salad dressing. Add all other ingredients except feta cheese. Add remaining salad dressing and then toss in feta cheese. Serve cold.
Note:
I made this the other day and I also added leftover grilled chicken that was marinated in a lemon pepper marinade. It was a great addition.
But with this salad, anything goes. The recipe is just a guideline. It is always the first to go at picnics and I am forever giving out this recipe.
Jo

And while this is a pasta dish, it's good cold.

Lemon Linguini  Susan Branch "The Summer Book"

"This is your basic summer pasta, wonderful just plain and simple, even good cold. You can add a variety of things to make it "more" Â for instance: steamed shrimp and asparagus spears; roasted green beans and grilled chicken strips; or chopped tomatoes, slivered fresh basil and toasted pine nuts."

1 lb. linguini
½ cup olive oil
Zest from 1 lemon
Juice from 2 lemons
½ cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Lots of parmesan cheese

Cook linguini in boiling salted water til done; drain well. Combine next 5 ingredients in a large serving bowl. Add pasta and toss well. Sprinkle over salt and freshly ground pepper  toss in parmesan to taste. Serve, or toss in additional ingredients of your choice.

Here is a thread with some good ones in it.

Oh Thanks Stacy for the linguine recipe. I can see using a different shaped pasta, adding shrimp and taking along for a "party boat" picnic!

This pasta recipe is Woodies. I've served it often and it's always a hit.

Pasta Salad - Woodie

1 Lb small shell macaroni cooked and drained
1/2 Lb provolone cheese diced (I've used the "pearl" size boccocini balls instead.
1/2 Lb salami diced
1/2 Lb pepperoni cut in half lengthwise then sliced (I've omitted and doubled the salami)
3 Lb tomatoes seeded and diced
3 ribs celery diced
1 green or red pepper diced
1 Can black olives
1 jar pimento stuffed green olives
1 red onion diced

DRESSING
3/4 Cup oil
1/2 Cup vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper
1 Tsp dried oregano
1 Tsp basil
celery salt to taste

Mix dressing and pour over pasta, refrigerate until serving.

Here are a couple you might like:

Caesar Pasta Salad
From Cooking Light
3 c. cooked Penne pasta
2 c. chopped Romaine lettuce
1 ½ c. halved cherry tomatoes
½ c. chopped fresh basil
½ c. chopped green onion
1/3 c Caesar dressing
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
4 oz. crumbled Feta cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
3 c. shredded cooked chicken breast

DH's favorite Pasta Salad... goes seomthing like this. Sorry I don't know the quantities!

Bow tie pasta
Chunks (or thick strips) of hard salami
red pepper strips or pieces
chopped yellow onion
sliced black olives

his preferred dressing is a Creamy Italian. He can't find it here, so his sister sends it to him from Michigan...

oh you folks are great...thanks for all the recipes. I have notebooks full of recipes my mother used to write down from a recipe radio radio show she listened to going back to the 60's..There are lots of cake and cookie recipes in particular. So if your looking for an oldie but goodie recipe I may just have it.

june

Sharon, I'm glad you enjoy that recipe! It's from Ken's Aunt Evie :)

Here is a real big favorite of mine - I leave out the Feta from 1/2 of it cause not all in our group likes Feta.

ORZO WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

1 small eggplant, peeled, 3/4" dice
1 red pepper, 1" dice
1 yellow pepper, 1" dice
1 red onion, peeled, 1" dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 lb Orzo, cooked

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 scallions, minced
1/4 cup toasted Pignoli nuts
3/4 lb Feta cheese, 1/2" dice
15 basil leaves, chiffonade

Mix first 7 ingredients together and place in one layer in large roasting pan.
Roast @ 425 degrees for 40 minutes, turning once.

Mix warm orzo with warm cooked vegetables and all of their juices.
Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss together and let cool to room temperature.

Add scallions, nuts, Feta and basil and serve.

Serves 6

We love this one, it can be served warm or chilled. You can add cooked chicken (or shrimp) and it becomes the main dish.

1 box of rotini
1 container of pesto (refrigerated section) or about 1.5
cups of homemade
3 cups of cooked broccoli florets
1 can (drained and rinsed) black eyed peas
1 Cup of cooked mushroom slices (ok to use the canned)
1/4 Cup sundried tomato (diced)
crumbled feta cheese

Cook pasta, add remaining ingredients. Serve with grated Parm. If serving leftovers, you may want to add a little olive oil it the pasta seems dry.

Here is an easy one. You can vary the ingredients:

1 pkg. green & white fettucini, cooked, rinsed, cooled & drained
sliced celery, matchstick carrots, diced onion
sliced pepperoni
shredded cheddar
Kraft Zesty Italian dressing

Not a real recipe. The dressing is the key. Years ago I was dressing a pasta salad with Italian dressing and ran out so I dumped in some French. We've made it that way ever since (when the kid was small it was wiggle worm salad):

cooked rotini (or any bite-size pasta)
diced carrot, broccoli, cauliflower and/or green beans - tossed in pasta water the last few minutes
raw vegies: celery, onion, peas, olives, radishes, zucchini, whatever...
diced cheese (cheddar, jack or mozz)
meat optional: diced ham, grilled chicken, salami etc.
fresh herbs/chives/cracked pepper
Dress with 1/2 Italian and 1/3 red French dressing

Instead of dressing, sometimes I'll add a big blob of pesto to my Italian pasta salad. Yum.

Asian peanut dressing makes a nice cold pasta/noodle salad. Add some blanched broccoli, red pepper, green onion, snow peas, chopped peanuts, etc.

I also do a Greek pasta salad - Greek dressing, grilled chicken, feta, red onion, kalamata olives, cucumber and pepperoncini. Serve with toasted pita bread and tzaziki.

I'm making myself hungry - time to make dinner!

Taco Pasta Salad

1 lb rotini (or other sturdy shape)
1 lb ground beef, browned
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 pkt of taco seasoning or chili seasoning
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 bottle of catalina or french dressing.

Blend together and toss in sliced olives if you like.

I don't use "Bottled" stuff anymore. So I use a French dressing recipe from my old Betty Crocker with a few Tablespoons of Sweet Chili Sauce added. DELISH! Works cold, room temp and warm (just after making!) LOL

Two more for your perusal:

GREEK PASTA SALAD

1 lb. medium-size shell or other short pasta (4 cups)
Salt
2/3 cup olive oil
2 Tblsp. fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
2 small cloves garlic, crushed in a garlic press
1 tsp. dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1-1/2 cups chopped cucumber (2 medium-size or 1 large cucumber)
1 cup chopped red onion (1 medium-size onion)
1 cup (4 oz.) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint or parsley
Pickled banana or cherry peppers or steamed shrimp (optional), for garnish

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the pasta and 1 tsp. of salt, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook the pasta, uncovered, according to the package directions until just done, 8 to 9 minutes. Meanwhile, place the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set the salad dressing aside. Drain the pasta well in a colander, shaking it to remove the excess water. Transfer the pasta to the large mixing bowl with the dressing. Stir to coat and let the pasta come to room temperature, about 20 minutes. When the pasta is cool, fold in the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, feta cheese, olives, and mint or parsley. Stir to combine well. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or black pepper if needed. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and serve at once garnished with the banana peppers or shrimp, if desired, or cover and refrigerate the salad until serving time. Serves 8.

Big Batch: This salad is easy to double or triple, but cook the pasta a pound at a time, and mix the salad one batch at a time.

Tote Notes: Tote this salad right in its serving bowl and bring the optional garnish of peppers or shrimp in a separate container, if you like. Cover the serving bowl with plastic wrap that sticks securely to the rim of the bowl to make traveling less messy. If possible, let the salad come to room temperature before serving. Then stir the salad again and top it with the garnish, if using.

From What Can I Bring by Anne Byrn.

SANTA FE PASTA SALAD

This salad is simply fabulous! The flavor blend is right on. Add some diced, cooked chicken to make a delicious meal-in-one salad, or serve as is on the side.

1 pkg. (16 oz.) rotini pasta
1-1/4 cups tomato juice
1-1/2 Tblsp. olive oil
1 Tblsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cooked corn kernels
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tblsp. diced green bell pepper
2 Tblsp. diced Roma tomato

Boil pasta according to pkg. directions. Rinse under cold water and drain well.

Stir together tomato juice, olive oil, vinegar, chili powder, paprika, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Toss with pasta in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Combine Parmesan cheese, corn, scallions, cilantro, green pepper and tomato. Combine with chilled pasta; cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Season with cracked black pepper before serving if desired. Yield: 8 servings.