Have you had the rotini salad with fresh veggies and Italian dressing? Sooo good. Cook the pasta and cool, chop cauliflower,broccoli,tomatoes,sliced carrots, drained slice black olives and pour Italian dressing over all.
Maybe you are looking for something different though?

I saw a southwestern pasta salad in the grocery deli the other day and was looking for a recipe too. I can't find one that doesn't have black beans in it tho....

this one gets good reviews, but I haven't made it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Southwestern Pasta salad

I dont know what I'm looking for Connie! LOL

The Southwestern Salad does look pretty good. I might just make the one you described with the veggies. That's pretty easy.

I recently made an Italian pasta salad. I change it all the time, but basically it's:

half a box of rotini pasta (I like the tri-color), cooked, drained, cooled a little
a red bell pepper, diced or sliced; roast it first if you like
some kind of onion, diced (I often use red onion, sometimes scallions too)
a little can of sliced olives, drained
a little jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped in half
sliced mushrooms, either fresh or marinated/canned
mozzarella cheese, diced about 1/2" (I use the "brick," but you can use the balls of fresh mozzarella if you prefer)
sometimes I'll put in a few slices of salami or pepperoni (I cut them in half or quarters)
Italian dressing from a bottle or make your own (I use Bernstein's Restaurant Recipe Italian)
chopped fresh basil and/or other herbs (parsley, oregano, thyme)
a little garlic powder
salt and pepper

You can add other fresh or marinated veggies if you like, or leave out the mushrooms and/or meat. I make it differently every time.

If you use cheese-filled tortellini, leave out the mozzarella cheese.

This is my tortellini salad recipe that is always a hit.

2 boxes or pkgs or tortellini
1/4C white wine vinegar
1/4 C olive oil - whisk the vinegar and olive oil together
2 bunches chopped green onions
small block feta cheese crumbled
1 tsp basil
salt to taste
1/2 tsp dill
1 small can sliced olives
Cook and drain the tortellini. Add oil & vinegar mixture. Chill. Add other ingredients.

I just go to Nugget Market to their Deli and buy their Pesto Pasta Salad. It's so good!

They use the bowtie pasta as well as the rotini, and there's pine nuts and peas in it, too.

I do pretty much the same as the others,but add parmesan cheese and Mc Cormicks Salad supreme,found in the spice section.I always add more italian dressing right befor serving.

Shelley

You really don't need a recipe for salad--like soup, it's just a combo of what you like (or have on hand).

I rarely make salad the same way twice. For tortellin salad, I generally use one package of white cheese tortellini and one of tri-color, add some halved cherry or grape tomatoes, some of the tiny fresh mozzarella balls, diced pepper/onion/celery, sliced black olives; Maybe some broccoli florets and/or grated carrot. Then it gets a splash of Italian Dressing or Balsamic Vinaigrette. Just before serving, I stir in some julienned fresh spinach and some shaved Parmeggiano Reggiano.

But you can definitely put together your own favorite vegetables, dressing, pasta, etc. and you won't go wrong.

You can use the frozen thawed cheese tortellini with fresh veggies too and pour Italian dressing over that.
Uxorial's sounds good. I'd forgotten about pepperoni added in and I love artichoke hearts, never thought to put them in. Does the cheese hold up ok in the salad? I've never added it either! LOL I make a huge batch at family get togethers with a whole box of the colored rotini and veggies and a couple bottles of the salad dressing. I like it better than the traditional Macaroni salad. It keeps longer in the refrigerator.

Marinated artichoke hearts are a MUST in mine.The nice thing about pasta salad is you can add or leave anything out you want.I think the cheese holds up better if you cut it into small cubes,I like to use cheddar cheese.

Shelley

Steph,if you look over at the cooking forum there is a post about pasta salads.You may get some different ideas from what has been posted here.

Shelley

I always use cubes of cheddar cheese in my rotini and vegetable salad. I'm not real fond of feta.

I declare!! I come to Kt and I see all these things you all post about cooking or wanting to cook and then I have to try it..I am gaining weight. DH too. I have just got to quit!! I have never tried a tortellini salad, but now I probably will!!(:-)

There is a pasta salad thread going on at the cooking forum.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pasta Salad @ The CF