Tri-Color Pasta Salad

Tri-Color Pasta SaladEvery summer, the young women (ages 12-18) from our church attend a girl’s camp, and adult women accompany them, as their leaders.  For several years, I had the opportunity to go, and for most of those times, my friend, Linda Eliason, went, as well.  She would make this delicious pasta salad for the girls, and they loved it.  They requested it every year, so we started calling it “Girl’s Camp Pasta Salad”.  

It’s sweet and tangy, with crunchy vegetables and salty nuts.  Chicken breast meat makes it hearty and filling, and when you’ve been playing in the mountains all morning, it’s the PERFECT lunch!Tri-Color Pasta Salad

Tri-Color Pasta Salad
Serves 15
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
12 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
12 min
Dressing Ingredients
  1. 1 bottle (16 ounces) cole slaw dressing
  2. 1 cup mayonnaise
  3. 1 teaspoon salt
Salad Ingredients
  1. 12 ounces tri-color rotini
  2. 6 ounces farfalle (bow tie) pasta
  3. 3-4 cups cooked, diced chicken breast
  4. 2 bunches green onion, sliced
  5. 1 cup celery, chopped
  6. 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
  7. 1 can (11 ounce) mandarin oranges, drained
  8. 2 cups grapes, sliced
  9. 1 cup cashew pieces
Dressing Directions
  1. Combine cole slaw dressing, mayonnaise, and salt in a mixing bowl, and whisk thoroughly. Set aside.
Salad Directions
  1. In a large stock pot, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. The farfalle takes longer than the rotini, so plan accordingly. Drain, and rinse with cold water until completely cool.
  2. Dump into large mixing bowl, and combine with chicken, green onion, celery, pineapple, oranges, grapes, and cashews. Pour dressing on top, and gently toss until completely coated.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  4. Toss, again, before serving.
Adapted from Linda Eliason
Adapted from Linda Eliason
White Apron Blog http://whiteapronblog.com/
 Here are the two types of paste that we use in this recipe.  Be sure to check cooking directions son the package because times may vary, but here’s how I do mine. 🙂

FARFALLE or "Bow-Tie" This takes about 11-12 minutes to cook.

FARFALLE or “BOW-TIE”
This takes about 11-12 minutes to cook.

TRI-COLOR ROTINI This takes about 7-8 minutes to cook.

TRI-COLOR ROTINI
This takes about 7-8 minutes to cook.

In a large stock-pot, over high heat, combine 4 quarts of water 1 tablespoon salt Bring to a boil.

In a large stock-pot, over high heat, combine
4 quarts of water
1 tablespoon salt
Bring to a boil.

The FARFALLE or "BOW-TIE" pasta takes about 3 minutes longer to cook than the ROTINI. So when the water comes to a boil, add 6 ounces FARFALLE (BOW-TIE) pasta As soon as the water returns to a boil, set a timer for 3 minutes.

The FARFALLE or “BOW-TIE” pasta takes about 3 minutes longer to cook than the ROTINI. So when the water comes to a boil, add
6 ounces FARFALLE (BOW-TIE) pasta
As soon as the water returns to a boil, set a timer for 3 minutes.

Add 12 ounces TRI-COLOR ROTINI When the water returns to boiling, set timer according to package directions. (about 8 minutes)

Add
12 ounces TRI-COLOR ROTINI
When the water returns to boiling, set timer according to package directions. (about 8 minutes)

Drain, and rinse the pasta under cold water.

Drain, and rinse the pasta under cold water.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 bottle (16 ounces) cole slaw dressing 1 cup mayonnaise 1 teaspoon salt Whisk thoroughly, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine
1 bottle (16 ounces) cole slaw dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
Whisk thoroughly, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the cooked, cooled pasta 3-4 cups cooked, diced chicken breast  2 bunches green onion, sliced 1 cup celery, chopped 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained 1 can (11 ounce) mandarin oranges, drained 2 cups grapes, sliced 1 cup cashew pieces

In a large mixing bowl, combine
all the cooked, cooled pasta
3-4 cups cooked, diced chicken breast
2 bunches green onion, sliced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 can (11 ounce) mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups grapes, sliced
1 cup cashew pieces

Pour the dressing on top, and gently toss until completely coated.

Pour the dressing on top, and gently toss until completely coated.

Cover and refrigerate for a least 1 hour.

Cover and refrigerate for a least 1 hour.

Gently toss before serving.

Gently toss before serving.

Tri-Color Pasta Salad

 

Tri-Color Pasta Salad