Creamy Shells Vegetable Salad Recipes

PERFECT CREAMY MACARONI PASTA SALAD

Perfect Creamy Macaroni Pasta Salad image

The key to the best creamy pasta salad is to rinse the cooked pasta under cold water before tossing with the dressing. Skipping this step means the dressing will turn sticky. We also "de-flame" the onion, which tames raw onion flavor so that the onion does not take over the salad. A quick bath in cold water does the trick.

Provided by Adam and Joanne Gallagher

Categories Side Dish

Time 20m

Yield Makes about 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

8 ounces dry elbow macaroni or small pasta shape
1/4 medium red onion, finely chopped, about 1/4 cup
1 medium bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped, about 1/3 cup
3 radishes, trimmed and finely chopped, about 1/3 cup
1 to 2 medium dill pickles, finely chopped, optional
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise, try our homemade mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons yellow mustard, substitute Dijon or whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons honey, optional for sweet version

Steps:

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse well under cold water to remove starch from the outside of the pasta.
Meanwhile, add the chopped onions to a small bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside for 5 minutes and then drain. This tones down the raw flavor of the onion so that it won't overpower the salad.
In the bottom of a large salad bowl, make the dressing. Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. For a sweeter macaroni salad, add honey to taste. I typically add half of a tablespoon but try one to two tablespoons if you enjoy sweeter macaroni salads.
Add the rinsed macaroni, drained onions, bell pepper, celery, radish, and the pickle to the bowl with dressing. Mix well. Taste, then adjust with additional salt and pepper.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1/6 of the recipe, Calories 252, Fat 10.4g, SaturatedFat 2.9g, Cholesterol 10.6g, Sodium 317.2mg, Carbohydrate 32.2g, Fiber 2.1g, Sugar 2.4g, Protein 6.9g

GARDEN SHELL SALAD

Garden Shell Salad image

Fresh basil marries the flavors of this splendid salad from Kathy Glasgow. The Marysville, California reader lightly dresses the dish, making it ideal with almost any entree.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch

Time 30m

Yield 8 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked small pasta shells
2 cups frozen peas
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Steps:

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding the peas during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time. Drain and rinse in cold water. , In a large bowl, combine the pasta, peas, celery, red pepper and onion. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, basil, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over pasta mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 157 calories, Fat 1g fat (0 saturated fat), Cholesterol 2mg cholesterol, Sodium 380mg sodium, Carbohydrate 31g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 6g protein. Diabetic Exchanges