Best 6 Roman Holiday Pasta Salad Recipes

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# Roman Holiday Pasta Salad: A Refreshing and Flavorful Summer Dish

Escape to the heart of Rome with our delightful Roman Holiday Pasta Salad. This vibrant dish is a perfect blend of flavors and textures, capturing the essence of an Italian summer. An explosion of fresh vegetables, including crisp bell peppers, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic basil, mingles with tender pasta, creating a symphony of flavors. A zesty dressing, made with a harmonious balance of olive oil, vinegar, and zesty lemon, enhances the natural flavors of the ingredients, leaving a refreshing and tangy finish. As you savor each bite, you'll be transported to the cobblestone streets of Rome, where the scent of fresh herbs fills the air and the sun-drenched piazzas invite you to linger. This versatile dish can be enjoyed as a main course or a refreshing side salad, making it a perfect addition to your summer gatherings. With its vibrant colors and tantalizing flavors, Roman Holiday Pasta Salad is sure to become a beloved favorite.

**In this article, you'll find two irresistible recipes:**

1. **Classic Roman Holiday Pasta Salad:** Discover the timeless recipe that has captured the hearts of pasta lovers for generations. Packed with fresh vegetables, tender pasta, and a zesty dressing, this classic salad is a true testament to Italian culinary excellence.

2. **Roasted Vegetable Roman Holiday Pasta Salad:** Embark on a culinary journey with this innovative variation, featuring roasted vegetables that add a smoky and caramelized depth of flavor. The roasted bell peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini mingle harmoniously with the pasta, creating a delightful textural contrast.

Whether you prefer the classic simplicity of the original or the elevated flavors of the roasted vegetable version, these Roman Holiday Pasta Salad recipes will transport you to the heart of Italy with every bite.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

CHRISTMAS PASTA SALAD



Christmas Pasta Salad image

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

Kosher salt
2 heads broccoli (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into florets
1 pound mezze rigatoni or other short tubular pasta
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 ounce)
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for serving
2 roasted red peppers, drained and sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and thinly sliced
8 ounces small mozzarella balls (or pearls)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

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.

CHRISTMAS PASTA SALAD



Christmas Pasta Salad image

The orzo in this salad is reminiscent of pine needles and when dressed in pesto brings a lovely green hue. Perlini mozzarella balls become ornaments, as do cherry tomatoes and ribbons of basil and pepperoni. I do not add salt as I find the pepperoni and pesto to be ample enough. Additional toppings to consider are slivers of red onion, black olives, and diced green bell pepper. I don't like balsamic vinegar, thus the lemon juice.

Provided by thedailygourmet

Categories     Salad     100+ Pasta Salad Recipes     Tomato Pasta Salad Recipes

Time 8h35m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked orzo pasta
⅓ cup pesto, or to taste
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces mozzarella cheese balls or pearls
¼ cup sliced pepperoni, cut into strips
3 large fresh basil leaves, julienned

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook orzo in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
  • Add pesto and lemon juice to the orzo; toss to coat. Mix in tomatoes, mozzarella cheese balls, and pepperoni strips. Refrigerate for 8 hours to overnight.
  • Mix in basil right before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 330.8 calories, Carbohydrate 43.8 g, Cholesterol 19.9 mg, Fat 11 g, Fiber 2.3 g, Protein 14.7 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Sodium 288.8 mg, Sugar 2.5 g

ROMAN SALAD WITH PASTA



Roman Salad With Pasta image

Provided by Molly O'Neill

Categories     easy, lunch, pastas, appetizer, main course, side dish

Time 25m

Yield 6 main course servings or 12 side-dish servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

5 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 red onion, peeled and minced
1 bunch basil, rinsed and torn
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 pound rigatoni

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, onion, basil, 2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Let stand at least 2 hours.
  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain. Toss the warm pasta into the salad, season with additional salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 175, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 36 grams, Fat 1 gram, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 455 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams

ROMAN HOLIDAY PASTA SALAD



Roman Holiday Pasta Salad image

Make and share this Roman Holiday Pasta Salad recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Karen in MA

Categories     Pasta Shells

Time 25m

Yield 8-10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 lb tri-colored pasta or 1 lb pasta shells
4 plum tomatoes, diced
12 pitted black olives, sliced
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, blanched and minced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, chopped
salt (optional)
fresh ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Cook the pasta, drain well, and immediately rinse in cold water. Shake off the excess water and chill.
  • In a large mixing bowling, add the tomatoes, olives, onion, basil, thyme, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and chilled pasta and then top with the cheese.
  • Toss well, adding salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 334.5, Fat 11.6, SaturatedFat 3.1, Cholesterol 11.2, Sodium 151.6, Carbohydrate 46.4, Fiber 2.7, Sugar 2.6, Protein 11.1

ROMAN HOLIDAY



Roman Holiday image

A dear friend of mine shared her recipe for roman holiday. I never heard of it before but now i make it all the time. I changed the recipe a bit. She srves hers with a side of meatballs, My version has ground beef right in for a easy one pot meal.

Provided by Lisa G. Sweet Pantry Gal

Categories     Beef

Time 55m

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 box 16oz small to med shells
1 pound ground beef
2-3 c fav marinara
2 c ricotta cheese
1 c parmesan cheese
2 c mozzarella cheese
1/2 c each chopped onions &green pepper
1 egg

Steps:

  • 1. Cook ground beef w/onions & peppers, drain and add your sauce to mixture. Save a little sauce for topping. Parboil pasta eldente. Add to meat sauce.
  • 2. mix ricotta with one egg s&p and 1/2 cup parm. Start layer like lasagna. Start with sprayed baking pan, first pasta, then ricotta then mozz. Prolly about two-3 layers. Top with some extra sauce Mozz and parm.
  • 3. Bake uncover in 350 oven for 30 min.

ROMAN HOLIDAY DISH



Roman Holiday Dish image

Make and share this Roman Holiday Dish recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Bluenoser

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 50m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 lb hamburger
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes
4 cups cooked spaghetti
1 cup grated cheese (mozzarella or cheddar)

Steps:

  • Brown hamburger, onion, salt and pepper.
  • Add canned tomatoes.
  • Place layer of spaghetti in casserole dish.
  • Add half of meat and half of cheese.
  • Repeat layers until all ingredients are used ending with cheese.
  • Bake covered 350F 20-30 mins.
  • Uncover and bake another 10 mins to brown cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 555.2, Fat 21.3, SaturatedFat 9.5, Cholesterol 94.2, Sodium 1046.8, Carbohydrate 51.2, Fiber 3.6, Sugar 3.9, Protein 38

Tips:

  • Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your pasta salad.
  • Cook the pasta al dente. This means that it should be cooked through but still have a slight bite to it.
  • Use a variety of vegetables. This will add color, flavor, and texture to your pasta salad.
  • Don't overdress the pasta salad. You want the flavors of the ingredients to shine through.
  • Let the pasta salad chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld together.

Conclusion:

Roman Holiday Pasta Salad is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for summer gatherings. It is packed with fresh vegetables, flavorful dressing, and hearty pasta. This pasta salad is sure to be a hit at your next party or potluck.

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