Powered by Mom's Easy Pasta Salad Recipe
Use up that leftover pasta and vegetables!
I don't know about you but I always make too much pasta, so we always have leftovers in our home. With just the three of us it's challenging sometimes to use up leftovers as I've got a picky eater and we're busy, busy parents like a lot of you. I can never seem to make just the right amount of pasta, as I said I always have leftovers but then not everyone wants to eat the leftovers. The best way to get those leftovers eaten I have found is to make them into a new recipe and pasta salad is a perfect example of a way I can get my family to eat that left over pasta!
Now of course you don't have to wait to have leftovers you can cook this up if you just love pasta salad 🙂
Pasta Salad Recipe
Pasta salad is a perfect example of a way I can get my family to eat that left over pasta! Plus, you can make it ahead and eat it as a side or a main dish, any time of year.
Ingredients
Salad
- 16 oz, Elbow Macaroni (tube & shell pasta works too), cooked, drained and rinsed
- 1 bell pepper (any color you prefer, usually we like orange or yellow but this recipe we did green)
- 10 small carrots, or 1 large
- ½ medium onion (optional if my daughter is having it I don't use onion)
- ½ c. diced celery
Dressing:
- 1 c. mayonnaise
- ½ c white vinegar
- ⅓ c. sugar
- ½ c sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Mix the pasta and the vegetables so in other words all the first few ingredients BEFORE the dressing ingredients in a large bowl.
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a smaller bowl and mix it in with the pasta mixture.
- Chill for at least two hours before serving. This makes up 10 cups of pasta salad
Notes
Depending on what your family likes you can also add things like pumpkin seeds, we love it in ours.
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Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
We hope you enjoy this pasta salad recipe. If you try it let us know! What other ways to you create new recipes from leftovers? Feel free to share we'd love to read your comments.
Thank you for this recipe! It looks simple to make, and I would love to make it this summer. I'll add to my list of recipes I need to try.
Pasta salads are amazing, and I'm definitely going to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Mmm!!! Pasta salas is one of my bbq favs!! Add quick and easy to it and Im sold!! Totally making this!!
Looks easy and delicious, double win! 🙂
I've eaten many pasta salads, but I've never made one...not sure why...but now that I see your recipe, it looks easy enough and it makes me want to do it.
Sounds & looks delicious. I would of never have thought of putting sweet condensed milk in it!
I never really liked it.I have tried several recipes.I think that the reason may be the added sugar.There is no need for it!
Pasta salad is always a good side dish. It's easy to make and it's great at a cook out.
I've been looking for a simple good pasta salad recipe for some time now.Glad I found this! Thank you! Pinning and going to make it this week!
In my home we like Pasta salad, Your recipe sounds amazing to try thank you.
A good way to get some extra veggies too 🙂 I pinned for later because I will be making this. Looks so delicious!
So I made this for myself and my daughter yesterday and it was so good! I baked some chicken to go along with it and it was the best lunch we've had in awhile. Thanks for the recipe!
I love pasta anyway you fix it. Thank you for the recipe.
I am going to get my aunt to make this, she's the cook around here!! I printed this out!! Sounds delicious!!
I don't usually make pasta salads, because my husband doesn't like to eat them, but I think this one..with just a couple diet regulated changes, he might just enjoy it! Thanks for the ideas!
That's what i do with left over pasta make a salad its a great way to use pasta
this looks and sounds delish thanks for sharing , i will def be trying it out , i love pasta salad , yummy , might make it for supper you have be drooling lol 🙂
We are always looking for different side dishes to prepare for our dinners!
This looks amazing! There is nothing more delish than a good pasta salad! Thank you for sharing!
thanks for sharing this recipe--you know i love pasta salads and this one i gotta try it.....
Awesome! Im making this this weekend. Im always looking for different ways to incorporate carrots into recipes so my children will actually eat them! Thank you for this recipe post!
I have never heard of using sweetened condensed milk in a pasta salad. This recipe sounds really easy and would be an easy salad to whip up on a busy night. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds interesting.
wow this is so easy!
I never added condensed milk to a pasta salad re,cite and this recipe looks easy to make and delicious to,eat.
This salad looks amazing and I love that it so easy to make. I have never tried making macaroni salad with sweetened condensed milk before. It's worth a try....
Not really a fan of pasta salad.
This recipe looked so good, I'm due to make it on this coming weekend. I give thanks for the share.
This does look easy. It sounds delicious. I haven't had a good home made pasta salad in a long time. This is definitely going on the "To Try" list.
I live in south Florida, so we bbq well into the fall/winter thanks for the new recipe.
sounds good and not involved/for some of those out there that haven't cooked a lot!
I hope two comments don't show up. There was a problem with the first. But anyways, thanks for the recipe. And, I apologize if there are two in a row.
This looks and sounds delicious. What a great way to use your leftovers and not let them go to waste. My family and I love pasta salad and will try this recipe. Thank You.
I love a good recipe for homemade pasta salad because a lot of the store bought ones have preservatives in them that give them an awful, twangy aftertaste like chemicals.
I love home made pasta salad but have never heard of adding sweetened condensed milk. Definitely going to have to try that!
This sounds so good will have to make it goes perfect with our bbq's we have every week thanks for sharing.
Looks so good. I think I am gonna have to make some before cold weather sets in.
This sounds greatr for a hot day.
I typically don't care for pasta salads but this looks really good!
yumy look delicius.
THis sounds yummy. I am going to try it with my family.
This sounds so good, thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
I am not a big pasta salad fan, but I am going to try this recipe, sounds yummy
Try using more colorful vegetables too!
This looks tasty! Thanks for sharing!
Never used condensed milk in a pasta salad. This I will have to try.
Sounds tasty. I'd use the yellow, orange or red pepper for my family since the green is not a fav.
We like to eat leftovers in tortilla wraps. The kids think they're fun to eat and I don't have to try to come up a way to transform the leftovers. Win:win!
I have leftover gluten free pasta to use and this would be perfect. I don't go much for sugar so I'd decrease that a bit.
This looks good like to try this
I haven't made a pasta salad in weeks......this version does sound tasty!
I am not normally a fan of pasta salad but perhaps others will enjoy this.
Pasta salads are a favorite at my house. Have to try this one soon!
I make this all the time and my family loves it.
Does the condensed milk keep it from becoming "clumpy." I hate when that happens and it is what keeps me from making my own.
My favorite use of leftovers is to make omelets.
I love pasta salads and this one looks delicious! I will definitely be making this one. Thanks for the recipe!
that looks so yummy i always have left over pasta and veggies thanks for the tips
This looks and so very good. Sounds pretty easy to make also.
I am from the Midwest, so if there is pasta and mayo together I am happy. This looks scrumptious.
Well that looks very appealing.Thank you for the recipe!
Easy yet delicious! A must try recipe for family! Thanks!
When it comes to measuring portions I'm actually very good, so I never make too much pasta. This macaroni salad looks delicious. I have never had a macaroni salad with bell pepper in it, this is definitely worth a try. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Sounds delicious, thanks!
I love pasta salad and I have to say this one looks very good. I pinned it and will be using the recipe in the future.
I use to make lot pasta salad now is been long time Ty for the reminder great dish to make
That looks good. Maybe a few more good days this year for pasta salad.
I love pasta salad! I would love to try to make this.
Pasta is one of those things that I just don't realize how much I'm actually making. I tend to go overboard, leaving plenty of leftover pasta 🙂 This recipe is perfect for us! Thanks for the post!
I too always cook up too much pasta. My husband likes macaroni salad. I do at times. This sounds like a good recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Oh man, I want this right NOW! It looks so tasty
This recipe sounds so good. I can't wait to give it a try. Thank you so much for sharing this
This looks good! I am always in search of easy dinners or potluck meals!
I am so going to try this! Pinned the recipe! Looks yummy and right up my alley!