Paula Deen pasta salad is one of the most popular Southern dishes you can cook. If you are new to this, I have put together this Paula Deen pasta salad recipe to help you make it right the first time!
Once you have all the ingredients, cook the pasta. Now, cook together the Italian salad dressing, Parmesan cheese, blue cheese, red onion, bell pepper, black olives, and parsley. Add your cooked pasta and toss to coat. Refrigerate the salad before serving.
You can make your pasta salad using whatever type of pasta you want, or even zucchini noodles! And if you want to get fancy, try adding some grilled chicken or shrimp. This recipe uses ground beef, but you could easily use ham or turkey.
Below is the set of instructions for this cheesy pasta salad. With this guide, you can easily prepare your hearty pasta salad. Let’s start and see how easy and enjoyable it can be! Seek out other Paula Deen recipes.
Other Paula Deen Recipes That You Can Try
- Paula Deen Pecan Pie
- Paula Deen Deviled Eggs
- Paula Deen Spinach And Bacon Quiche
- Paul Deen Fried Chicken
- Paula Deen Pumpkin Bars
- Paula Deen Pineapple Casserole
- Paula Deen Grape Salad
- Paula Deen Cornbread Dressing
- Paula Deen Cheesecake Meatloaf
- Paula Deen Coconut Cake
What Equipment Will You Need To Make Paula Deen Pasta Salad?
- Saucepan – Cook the diced onion and bell pepper in a saucepan until soft and crisp.
- Mixing Bowls – Mix all the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls until well combined to make salad dressing.
- Grater – Grate the parmesan cheese in a bowl with the help of a cheese grater to add to the ingredients.
- Sieve – Rinse the pasta with cold water to prevent the pasta from sticking and halt it from overcooking.
- Knife – Chop the red onion, bell pepper, black olives, and fresh parsley with the help of a sharp knife into bite-size pieces.
- Chopping Board – Place the chopping board under the ingredients before chopping them to avoid mess.
- Spatula – You will need a spatula to toss salad dressing with the pasta until well coated.
How Much Time Will You Need To Make Paula Deen Pasta Salad?
| Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Chilling Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Minutes | 10 Minutes | 2 Hours | 2 Hours 25 Minutes |
What Ingredients Will You Need To Make Paula Deen Pasta Salad?
- Pasta – You should choose hearty pasta shapes like rotini, as they can easily trap the dressing and bits of cheese.
- Parmesan Cheese – We love the saltiness of shredded parmesan in pasta salad. Since it’s shredded, it almost melts into the dressing.
- Blue Cheese – Blue cheese will add a dressing aromatic with a distinctive salty and sharp flavor with a semi-soft, crumbly, and creamy texture.
- Italian Salad Dressing – Italian dressing will give a zesty, tangy flavor due to its bold ingredients.
- Red Onion – Adding red onions will add a colorful and spicy-to-mild flavor. Its crispy texture is perfect for this salad.
- Bell Pepper – Bell peppers will give a slightly bitter, grassy flavor with tints of sweetness.
- Black Olives – Add black olives to the salad for a slightly salty flavor.
- Salt – Use salt to enhance the recipe’s flavor and lend a savory taste.
- Parsley – The fresh parsley will keep its crunchy texture and be fresh, pretty, and flavorful.
- Olive Oil – Add olive oil to the dressing for the salad.
- White Wine Vinegar – White wine vinegar will add crisp, tangy flavors to the salad.
Steps To Make Paula Deen Pasta Salad
1. Chop Them All
Take one red onion, one bell pepper, 6 ounces of black olives, and 1⁄4 cup of fresh parsley and chop them using a sharp knife into bite-size pieces.
2. Cook The Pasta For The Salad
You’ll need to cook the pasta for this recipe. Bring the water for cooking the pasta to a boil in a pot. Then add the pasta to the water, and stir a few times to prevent the pasta from sticking together or until it’s still a little firm to the bite.
Once it’s cooked, rinse it with cold water. It will stop the cooking process and prevent the pasta from sticking together.
3. Make The Pasta Salad Dressing
Before preparing the dressing, cook the diced onion and bell pepper in a saucepan until crispier. Now let’s get to the good stuff—the dressing, where the flavor magic happens. You’ll need olive oil and white wine vinegar to make the dressing.
Whisk together the grated parmesan cheese and crumbled blue cheese in a bowl of olive oil and white wine vinegar. Stir until everything is evenly mixed in.
4. Assembling The Paulo Deen Pasta Salad
Now comes the fun part—mixing everything together! Put the cooked pasta, red onions, bell pepper, and sliced olives on the serving dish. Pour the dressing over the top and stir until everything is coated. Let the salad chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Nutritional Information
| Calories | 1979.5 kcal |
| Total Fat | 98 g |
| Saturated Fat | 17.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 620.6 mg |
| Sodium | 1960.3 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 225.6 g |
| Fiber | 10.4 g |
| Sugar | 26.2 g |
| Protein | 50.6 g |
How Will Paula Deen Pasta Salad Look And Taste Like?
Paula Deen Pasta salad is the ultimate comfort food, and it’s like a giant pasta and cheese bowl with a colorful salad on top.
Creamy and tangy pasta salad is great for making a main or side dish with any Italian-inspired meal. Bursting with slightly sweet and wonderfully sour flavors, it features a mayo dressing and lots of crunchy fresh veggies.
Recipe Card
Paula Deen Pasta Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Saucepan
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- Grater
- Sieve
- Knife
- Chopping Board
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 pound Pasta
- 16 ounces Italian Salad Dressing
- 1 cup Parmesan Cheese (grated)
- ½ cup Blue Cheese (crumbled)
- ½ cup White Wine Vinegar
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- ½ cup Red Onion (minced)
- 1 Bell Pepper (diced)
- 6 ounces Black Olives (drained and sliced)
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Slice one red onion, one bell pepper, black olives, and fresh parsley into bite-size pieces.
- Cook the pasta by bringing water to a boil in a pot. Then add the pasta to the water, and stir a few times to prevent the pasta from sticking together or until it’s still a little firm to the bite.
- Once it’s cooked, rinse it with cold water to halt the cooking process and prevent the pasta from sticking together.
- Cook the diced onion and bell pepper in a saucepan until crispier.
- Whisk together the grated parmesan cheese and crumbled blue cheese in a bowl of olive oil and white wine vinegar. Stir until everything is evenly mixed in.
- Put the cooked pasta, red onions, bell pepper, and sliced olives on the serving dish.
- Pour the dressing over the top and stir until everything is coated.
- Chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Nutrition
Conclusion
Paula Deen pasta salad is a great side dish that’s good for you and also tastes great. This recipe is enough for four people, but you can scale it up or down depending on your appetite.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can we use other veggies and extras in this pasta salad?
You can customize this salad as per your choice. Add blanched green beans, fresh spinach, artichokes, red or yellow peppers, chickpeas, etc., for a more veg-forward version. You can also use different types of cheese, like feta; the possibilities are endless.
How do you keep pasta salad moist?
The key to a moist pasta salad is the dressing that you include. If the sauce is moist, slightly thinner, and adds a bit more oil, your salad won’t become dry. A helpful tip is to drizzle some olive on the pasta and mix before you season and add the dressing sauce. Adding a little extra dressing also helps to keep the salad moist.
Can we put eggs in pasta salad?
Adding a hard-boiled egg to your pasta salad is one of the best ways to add extra protein and that delicious hard-boiled egg flavor.
