Five Steps to Perfect Pasta Salad

[Anonymous]

http://allrecipes.com//HowTo/five-steps-to-perfect-pasta-salad/Detail.aspx

I just found the above link and it really looks good -- thought I'd share!

[Anonymous]

I tried it last night (I had already printed it out when I saw your post). I followed it all except for the herbs (didnt' have any) and OK, I did put the dressing on last night. But it still made a far better pasta salad then i have ever made before. The only think I need now is a good list of what herbs go with what ingredients.

I think one of my big mistakes before was not realizing that some veggie need a little cooking or roasting.

I will say if you are on a low sodium diet, this is not something for you (the pasta was quite salty after adding so much salt to the water).

[Anonymous]

Yeah, but the salt is what makes it sooo good!!!

Thanks PP. I'm the OP and actually I hadn't tried the pasta salad recipe, just was sharing because intuitively it looked really great. My kids have suddently decided that the pasta salad they get at the grocery store salad bar is the best thing ever AND they've decided tey are vegetarian, so I'm looking for dinner meals that will incorporate beans for them that they will eat in the summer.

I think you can just look at the herb jar -- usually it will say "good with..." or here's a suggested list I found:

http://www.compassionatecooks.com/word/herbs.htm

http://www.apinchof.com/veggie_basics.htm

[Anonymous]

Oh I totally agree the salt is what makes it good - just thought I should mention it for the the low-sodium people. I had to stop myself from eating up all the plain salty pasta!

Thanks for the herb info.