Easy and simple homemade pasta salad. Pasta salad is easy to make. The ingredients are simple and flexible, so you can make this when you are inundated by summer produce or you can adapt to what's in season in the fall and winter. Not too bad, especially when you can keep it in.

Pasta salad is truly as easy as boiling water if you stick to a simple formula, use a smart pasta cooling trick, and a flavorful dressing. Remember that the pasta will plump as it cooks, and you want pasta salad to have a generous combination of pasta and vegetables in each bite. This homemade pasta salad recipe is SO easy to make, which is one of the reasons I love it. You can cook Easy and simple homemade pasta salad using 10 ingredients and 8 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Ingredients of Easy and simple homemade pasta salad

It's 1/2 cup of mayonnaise (I used Kraft mayonnaise with olive oil).
Prepare 1/4 cup of to 1/2 cup Ranch dressing depending on your taste (I used Wishbone).
You need 1 cup of to 1 1/2 cups bow tie pasta.
It's 1/4 cup of finely shredded carrot.
Prepare of salt.
Prepare of lemon pepper seasoning.
You need of Fresh lime juice.
Prepare 2 piece of chicken breasts (I had small but if you use a large one 1 should be fine).
You need of Bacon pieces.
Prepare 1 cup of corn.

Even making your own dressing is so simple! This colorful pasta salad is packed with vegetables, pepperoni, and cheese. Toss with the simple dressing mixture, chill, and enjoy! Pasta salad filled with veggies, cheese, and seasoning.

Easy and simple homemade pasta salad instructions

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add salt to water to taste. Once boiling add chicken breasts. Boil until cooked through..
When cooked thoroughly remove from water and let sit for 5-10 to cool. To the same water add the pasta, asking more water if needed. You do not need to add more salt because the water is already salted..
While pasta is cooking cut or shred chicken to desired size. Squeeze the fresh lime juice onto the chicken, making sure to combine it well, while it's still warm so that it may soak up the flavor..
After cutting the chicken, grate the carrot in a bowl and add the mayonnaise and ranch dressing letting it sit for a couple of minutes..
When pasta is just tender remove from the water, do not drain it. After removing from water, run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Let it sit in the strainer and shake to run off excess water..
If you are using frozen corn, as I did, add it tonthe water that you cooked the chicken and pasta in. Cook until heated through usually about 3 min. If you are using can corn you can skip this step..
While the corn is heating up, add the drained pasta to the mayonnaise mixture along with the chicken and lemon pepper. When the corn is done, either run it under cold water as to cool it down, or add to the pasta mixture as is..
Mix all of the ingredients until combined well. Then lastly add in the bacon pieces and mix well. You can eat as in or place in the fridge to serve cold..

Very tasty and versatile -- is great to make ahead. Stable base recipe, that is easy to play with to suite tastes. It is so simple and easy to make pasta salad that you will not buy store bought again! Can I make pasta salad the day before? These quick and easy pasta salad recipes with few ingredients are perfect for parties, busy schedules and more.