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Summer Pasta Salad

July 22, 2014

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Summer Pasta Salad-4

:: Summer Pasta Salad ::

Do you find, in the summer, that you cook less or look for easier recipes? I certainly do! Our days have been filled with outings, lots of outside time playing, and for us… packing up our mountain home in preparation for our upcoming move {not so fun!}.

During the school year, I’m fairly good at sticking to a routine of eating dinner at a reasonable time so that I can get the kids in bed around 8 p.m. In the summertime, that’s not the case! Usually, I’m throwing dinner together on a whim… with little time to spare! This recipe for a chilled Summer Pasta Salad is perfect for nights like that!

{This simple pasta dish has sentimental meaning to me, as well! My husby made this for me as a picnic lunch the day he proposed more than 12 years ago. We’ve been making it ever since!}

Summer Pasta Salad-3

You can honestly just grab whatever fresh seasonal veggies you have on hand and chop them up to add into this dish. Pre-cooked smoked turkey sausage, a can of kidney beans, and some cooked pasta make this a wholesome summer meal! 

  Summer Pasta Salad-5

After combining all the ingredients and chilling for a short amount of time, you can top with your favorite dressing {ranch or italian are both delicious}! Even better… this dish can be stored in the refrigerator and served the next day for a quick leftover lunch! Enjoy! 

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3.72 from 7 votes

Summer Pasta Salad

This chilled Summer Pasta Salad is great for when you have little time to prepare a wholesome meal! It comes together in minutes, and is delicious, too!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Pasta Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 -8
Author: Simply Happenstance

Ingredients

  • 12 oz. uncooked rotini pasta {I used Ronzoni Gluten Free}
  • 15 oz. can of kidney beans rinsed and drained
  • 13 oz. precooked smoked turkey sausage or turkey polska kielbasa
  • Fresh Seasonal Vegetables of your choice rinsed and coarsely chopped
  • I used:
  • 2 medium-sized yellow bell peppers
  • 2 heads of broccoli
  • 1 english cucumber
  • 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
  • 4 carrots

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta according to package directions. Once cooked, rinse with cool water and pour into a large bowl. Set aside.
  • Rinse, seed {if necessary}, and coarsely chop all raw vegetables. Add to pasta.
  • Slice precooked turkey sausage, into bite-sized pieces, and add to the pasta dish. {If desired, you can sauté the turkey sausage, prior to adding to the pasta dish to enhance flavor.}
  • Add rinsed/drained kidney beans to the pasta dish.
  • Chill for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
  • Just prior to serving, top with dressing of choice {such as ranch or italian}, and any optional ingredients listed below. Enjoy!
  • OPTIONAL: Stir in chopped chunks of cheddar cheese, feta, avocado, and/or fresh herbs, such as basil.

 

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Filed Under: Food

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About

bioSara and Nicole are sorority sisters that simply “happened” to end up in the same small town. They have many things in common, which have set the tone of their blog. They hope that you will join them in their journey of motherhood, dreams that may be, the daily life, and their passion for cooking, yoga, fashion, and design!

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