9.13.2012

BBQ Pasta Salad

Original Recipe HERE
 
I love me some pasta salad.  And barbecue sauce.  And onion.  And cheese.  And garlic powder.  And honey.  And yogurt.  So...this recipe was clearly created with me in mind.
 
It was easy to prepare and assemble, and it held up well until the next day when I finished off the leftovers.  I liked that it was different from the traditional pasta salads accessorized with oil-and-vinegar or bottled salad dressing.  The fresh vegetables made it seem lighter than it probably was.  All in all, a solid pasta salad recipe that I hope comes to mind the next time I ask a host if I can contribute anything.  It can easily be adjusted based on what vegetables and cheeses and other add-ins you have available.  Update: I've subsequently made it using thawed frozen peas and mixed veggies, snow peas (not so good), caramelized red onions, steamed broccoli, etc.  Also, one time I had some homemade mustard sauce to use up...so I put in a splash of regular BBQ sauce and used my own stuff for the rest.  Turned out just as well.
 
I used cellentani pasta, which was a good choice because it held up well against the crunchy vegetables and didn't turn to mush upon lots of stirring.  However, it didn't trap the sauce very well, and along with all the above-listed things I love, I love when sauce (of whatever kind) is trapped in pockets of my pasta so I get a little bonus every few bites.
 
Ingredients
1 pound elbow macaroni or other pasta shape
1/2 cup diced onion
4 green onions, sliced thin
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder [or to taste]
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder [or to taste]
pinch cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 to 1 cup of any combination of mayonnaise, sour cream, and Greek yogurt
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
2 cups corn [fresh, frozen, or canned]
1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese [not the finely shredded kind]
2 cups quartered grape tomatoes
 
Directions
(1) Cook pasta according to al dente directions, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Drain.  Rinse with cold water until cool; drain again.  Transfer to a large bowl.
(2) In a separate small bowl, whisk together vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and honey.
(3) Add mayonnaise/sour cream/yogurt and barbecue sauce to spice mixture.
(4) Pour sauce over pasta; mix well.  Add in onions, corn, cheese, and tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.
 
Kid Participation:
* Whisk together sauce ingredients
* Stir all ingredients
* Complain about having tomatoes in your dinner yet again

No comments:

Post a Comment