Tender pasta and the “holy trinity” of bell peppers, celery, and onion, along with a creamy Cajun dressing, make this Cajun Pasta Salad irresistible. Pair this flavorful pasta salad with just about any meat off the grill for a memorable summer meal.

Cajun Pasta Salad

While this salad pairs nicely with ​grilled chicken​, ​burgers​, or ​hot dogs​ for summer barbecues, it’s also great with ​chicken​, ​shrimp​, ​steak​, or ​salmon​ cooked in the air fryer for casual weeknight meals.

Last time I made this, my boys positively devoured it. The recipe is a fun twist on classic pasta salads. With an abundance of spicy flavors, nobody can accuse this pasta salad of being boring!

Cajun Flavor

Cajun flavors are characterized by a spicy, earthy seasoning blend that packs a little punch courtesy of ingredients like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and a variety of herbs like thyme, marjoram, and oregano. The other mainstay in Cajun cuisine is the aforementioned “holy trinity”; celery, onions, and bell peppers.

You can certainly buy good Cajun seasoning at most grocery stores in North America. However, I’m a sucker for a good homemade seasoning blend, and this Homemade Cajun Seasoning recipe is my favorite.

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Crunchy bite-sized pieces of fresh vegetables, herbs, and ham, combined with a light and creamy dressing, make this ham pasta salad a standout! Be the belle of the buffet or the big wig of the barbecue with a bowl of this elevated summer standard.

Ham Pasta Salad

I’m not sure about you, but I don’t want to spend a lot of time working in a steamy kitchen when it’s hot outside. But we all have to eat, so pasta salad often becomes my go-to in the summertime.

It only takes a few minutes to boil the pasta, and once you’ve drained it, all the hot work is done. Rinse that pasta in cool water, chop up some vegetables and ham, and stir it all together with dressing. If you ask me, meat, vegetables, and pasta equals a full meal.

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Korean Ground Beef Noodles [+Video]

Want a quick and easy ground beef recipe that’s ready in less than 30 minutes? Korean ground beef noodles are the perfect recipe for when you’ve had a busy day. The flavorful sauce on the almost crisp beef is our new favorite dish!

You all went crazy for our Korean Ground Beef and I just knew you needed an even better version. Asian Noodles with ground beef is a game-changer!!

Have you ever had a take out dish that’s so crazy good you literally cannot stop eating it even though you physically are stuffed? This is that recipe!!

I love mixing it up by throwing in sauteed veggies, fresh edamame or even using only the sauce and skipping the meat entirely. I cannot wait to hear how much you all love this dish too (plus it’s so fun to be learning your names and where you’re from) so leave a comment!!

What Do I Need to Make Korean Ground Beef Noodles?

For being as flavorful as it is, you really don’t need many ingredients. Most of them are pantry staples, so you have no excuse not to make this for dinner asap! Here is everything you’ll need:

• Spaghetti: Any long, thin pasta will work great like linguine or vermicelli. You could also use angel hair pasta, or rice, ramen, glass, or udon noodles.
  • NOTE: For a low carb option, use zucchini noodles!
• Canola or Vegetable Oil: Used to help brown and crisp up the beef.
• Ground Beef: Use 80/20 or 85/15 for the best flavor.
  • NOTE: If you want to lighten this up a little, use ground chicken or lean ground turkey!
• Garlic: Adds flavor.
• Soy Sauce: I like to use low sodium soy sauce so that I can control the saltiness more.
• Orange Juice: Fresh OJ is preferred but you can use store bought if needed. Make sure there’s no added sugar. Adds tanginess and fresh citrus flavor.
• Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and rich flavor to the stick sauce.
• Sweet Chili Sauce: Adds a little more sweetness and a tiny bit of heat.
  • NOTE: If you like a little heat and want even more authentic Korean flavor, replace the sweet chili sauce with gochujang hot pepper paste.
• Toasted Sesame Oil: Adds that signature Asian flavor.
• Cornstarch: Helps thicken the sauce.
• Green Onions: Adds a pop of fresh flavor.

The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Antipasto Pasta Salad – The Easy Recipe [+Video]

Add some Italian flair to your next gathering with this delicious antipasto pasta salad! Packed with savory meats, cheeses, and vegetables, this easy recipe will be a crowd pleaser. Watch the video tutorial for step-by-step instructions.

When you’re looking for a spring or summer salad recipe this antipasto pasta salad needs to be at the top of your list. Our meaty pasta salad is full of olives, veggies and charcuterie meats like sausage and pepperoni!

We made a few charcuterie boards over the holidays for various gatherings, so I had so many different leftovers. I wasn’t quite sure how to use them up, and then it clicked…a pasta salad! And this pasta salad recipe was born!

What is Antipasto?

Antipasto means “before the meal” in Italian and it is a traditional Italian appetizer consisting of cured meats, cheese, olives and vegetables. It’s basically what you would find on a charcuterie board! All delicious things!

Ingredients for Antipasto Pasta Salad

I could probably call this kitchen sink pasta salad because it a little bit of just about everything. Ha! The ingredient list might look long at first glance, but if you’ve had a party with a charcuterie board and have some leftovers, then this is the pasta salad for you! Here is everything you need for this Italian antipasto pasta salad:

Pasta Salad

• Rotini Pasta: You want a pasta with a lot of surface area and lots of nooks and crannies to grab onto the delicious dressing!
• Hard Salami Stick: The pre-sliced salami will work, but I really prefer to buy a stick of salami and cut it into chunks myself.
• Pepperoni Stick: Same story as the salami, buy a stick of pepperoni and cut it into small cubes yourself.
• Artichoke Hearts: Grab a can of artichoke hearts, drain them and quarter them.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes will work well too. Halve them and toss them in!
• Sun Dried Tomatoes: These add so much delicious flavor and a little acidity.
• Fire Roasted Red Peppers: You can grab a jar at the grocery store (be sure to drain it) or roast your own,.
• Pickled Pepperoncini Peppers: It can’t be antipasto without pepperoncini peppers!
• Olives: A mixture of black and green olives for color (and flavor!) is best.
• Mozzarella Pearls: Marinated mozzarella pearls will add the best flavor, and you HAVE to have cheese in a pasta salad. Just my personal rule!
• Red Onion: Adds flavor and crunchy texture.
• Fresh Basil: Fresh is a must and slice it really thin.

Dressing

• Olive Oil: Acts as the base for the vinaigrette dres

Parmesan cheese, black pepper, butter, and olive oil combine to make this version of the classic simple and sublime Parmesan pasta. Its ease to prepare is matched only by its perfection.

Parmesan Pasta

Nothing beats pasta when it comes to turning out a quick meal that makes everyone happy. But this pasta dish is a particular stand out in that category.

Whether you serve it as a stand-alone vegetarian main dish with a Strawberry Spinach Salad or pair it with a meat dish like Baked Italian Chicken, it’s sure to please.

Cacio e Pepe

This recipe is a gentle riff on the classic Italian dish cacio e pepe which literally translates as cheese and pepper. The original dish uses only pasta, black pepper, salt, and Pecorino Romano cheese.

There are so many reasons to love this dish; simplicity of preparation, perfect balance of flavors, and budget-friendliness, just to name a few.

Our version makes use of Parmesan cheese both because it’s our preference and what we had on hand and I don’t like making special trips to the store unless I have to.

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