CHRISTMAS PASTA SALAD
Thanks to its festive colors, this pasta salad will shine bright on your holiday table. For the vibrant green dressing, we jazzed up traditional basil pesto with spinach and almonds. A couple tablespoons of white wine vinegar go into the whole dish for extra tang. The pesto can be made three days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories side-dish
Time 35m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Drop the broccoli into the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender and bright green, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into the cold water to stop the cooking. Let sit until cool, then drain and set aside.
- Return the water in the pot to a boil and cook the rigatoni according to the package directions for al dente. Drain in a colander and transfer to a large bowl. Toss the pasta with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to coat evenly and refrigerate until cooled completely, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil to a blender with the spinach, Parmesan, almonds, basil, lemon juice, chives and 1/4 cup water and puree until completely smooth. Pour the pesto over top of the pasta and add the reserved broccoli, red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss gently until well combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with more chopped chives. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 4 hours.
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Mohan Laal
[email protected]I love this salad! It's so easy to make and it's always a hit at parties. I highly recommend it.
Jashley Revi
[email protected]This salad is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. It's also really festive and colorful, which makes it perfect for a holiday party.
Wauyo Paul
[email protected]I made this salad for a potluck and it was a big hit! Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe.
ashley rocks
[email protected]This salad is a great way to use up leftover turkey or ham from Christmas dinner. It's also a great way to get your kids to eat their veggies.
olinda chinogara
[email protected]I'm not a huge fan of salads, but this one is really good. The dressing is light and flavorful and the cranberries and oranges add a nice touch.
Douglas Gekara
[email protected]This salad is so delicious! I love the way the flavors all come together. It's definitely a new holiday favorite.
Sadak Miah
[email protected]I've made this salad several times now and it's always a crowd-pleaser. It's the perfect side dish for any holiday meal.
momna coking tips momna
[email protected]This salad is really easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time, which is a huge plus during the busy holiday season.
Rupak Official
[email protected]I love the combination of sweet and savory in this salad. The cranberries and oranges add a nice tartness that balances out the richness of the cheese and dressing.
Aliza Bilal
[email protected]This salad is so festive and colorful! It's perfect for a Christmas party or any other holiday gathering.
hager elsaid
[email protected]I made this salad for my family on Christmas Eve and it was a huge success! They all raved about how delicious it was and asked for the recipe. I will definitely be making this again.
Henna Uddin
[email protected]This salad was a hit at my Christmas party! Everyone loved the unique combination of flavors and textures. I will definitely be making this again next year.