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Tortellini Pasta Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate

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This Tortellini Pasta Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate is a delicious side dish full of flavor and holiday color!

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My Italian pasta salad has been a staple at every family gathering and every holiday for years.  But since I’ve made it so many times, I am beyond sick of it!  In fact, I make it because my family loves it, but I don’t even eat it!  Thankfully there are so many variations of pasta salad that can be made. 

Since it’s just going to be my husband and me this Thanksgiving, I figured I’d try out a new pasta salad recipe.  Tortellini is up there as one of my favorite kinds of pasta.  I mean, you can’t go wrong with little bites of pasta filled with cheese!  It works really well in a pasta salad since it adds an extra boost of cheesy flavor!

Tortellini Pasta Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate

 
This tortellini pasta salad is an easy side dish full of flavor and holiday color!  This recipe makes a small batch that will feed about four.  So if you have a few more mouths to feed at your holiday table, you might want to double this recipe.  After all, you can never go wrong with a little extra pasta salad! 


The first thing you want to do is cook your pasta! Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and carefully add the tortellini. Tortellini only needs a few minutes to cook and you’ll notice that it floats to the top of the pot when cooked. Once all the pasta is cooked, drain, rinse it with cold water, and set aside.


Next, start cooking the pancetta. Pancetta is basically bacon that hasn’t been smoked.  To me, it’s a little bit saltier than regular bacon, so you don’t need to add a lot of salt to flavor this salad.  Cook the pancetta, just as you would bacon, until it gets nice and crispy.  After cooking it for about 10 minutes, I removed it from the pan and let it drain on a paper towel. 


Now, you can start mixing things up.  I added the shredded Brussels sprouts, onion, walnuts, pomegranate, and pancetta to a large mixing bowl and stirred to combine it.  You can start to see that holiday color come together!


Next, stir in your pasta. I stirred the tortellini in last because I wanted to make sure the rest of the ingredients were combined first.  I didn’t really want to stir the tortellini too much just in case all of that stirring action caused the pasta to pop open!


The final touch is a simple lemon and garlic salad dressing.  In my blender, I added lemon juice, chopped garlic, olive oil, a splash of vinegar, and salt and pepper.  I gave it a quick blend, then poured it onto the salad and stirred. 


Now, you can plate the pasta salad and add some shaved Parmesan on top. I just took a piece of Parmesan cheese wedge and used my vegetable peeler to make shaved Parmesan that I broke into pieces. 

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Tortellini Pasta Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate

Tortellini Pasta Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate

Ingredients

    For the dressing:
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • For the pasta salad:
  • 3 1/2 cups frozen cheese tortellini
  • 4 oz. diced pancetta
  • 2 generous cups shaved Brussels sprouts
  • 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Shaved Parmesan

Instructions

    For the dressing:
  1. Add the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to a blender.
  2. Blend until the ingredients are fully incorporated and set aside.
    3. For the pasta salad:
  3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully add the tortellini to the water and cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until they float to the top of the water. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
  4. Heat a small pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is crispy. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, add the shaved Brussels sprouts, onion, walnuts, pomegranate, and pancetta. Stir to combine.
  6. Stir in the tortellini and season with salt and pepper.
  7. Pour in the dressing and stir to coat the salad.
  8. Plate the pasta salad and serve with shaved Parmesan on top.
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We had this with our dinner the other night and I wasn’t quite sure what my husband was going to think about it.  But he really enjoyed it!  So much that he asked for a “big bowl” of it with his lunch the next day! 

If you’re planning on making this pasta salad ahead of time, I suggest reserving some of the dressing or doubling the dressing recipe.  The longer the pasta salad sits, the more it’s going to soak up the dressing.  So keep some dressing on the side to add to it just before serving. 


Did you make this Tortellini Pasta Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

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This delicious Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad is made with seasonal veggies, topped with walnuts and dried cranberries, and a homemade balsamic Dijon dressing.

This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


Just because it’s fall, that doesn’t mean salad season is over!  I’m totally having a fall salad moment right now! I love using dark greens like kale and Brussels sprouts as a salad base.  They’re great warm or cold!  And paired with other fall veggies, a fall salad can make a wonderful meal or seasonal side!

I love fall salads so much that I went food shopping, had my Hungryroot box delivered, and still went back to the store for more veggies!  So with a big bag of chopped kale, baby potatoes, onions, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and garlic, I decided to make a warm fall salad with dinner one night.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

 
This salad involves a few different steps, but it comes together quickly and is worth the effort!  Brussels sprouts are roasted with potatoes, and onions.  While they’re roasting, kale, mushrooms, and garlic get cooked in a skillet. Then, the entire dish is put together in a bowl and topped with walnuts, dried cranberries, and a drizzle of balsamic Dijon dressing. 


The first thing I did was prep my potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and onions.  Then, I tossed them with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper, and put them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  The veggies were roasted in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes.


While the potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and onions were roasting, I heated olive oil in a large skillet.  Then, I added in my sliced mushrooms and let them cook for a few minutes.  Once the mushrooms were softened, I added chopped garlic, kale, and salt pepper.  I cooked everything just until the kale wilted and removed the skillet from the heat. 


Before combining all of those delicious veggies together, I made a simple dressing made with balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, and salt and pepper. I shook everything up in a mason jar and set it aside. 


Then it was time to put the salad together!  I mixed the roasted veggies with the kale and mushrooms in the skillet.


The salad got topped with some crushed walnuts, to give the salad some added crunch, and some dried cranberries, to give the salad a nice sweet tartness. 


And finally, the salad got a drizzle of that fantastic homemade balsamic Dijon dressing!  You’ll be happy that the recipe makes extra! 

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

Ingredients

    For the salad:
  • 2 generous cups Brussels sprouts, halved
  • 2 cups baby creamer potatoes, halved
  • 3/4 cup red onion, sliced into half moons
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil + 1-2 tbsp.
  • 1 1/2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced thin
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 6 cups kale, chopped
  • Crushed walnuts
  • Dried cranberries
    • For the dressing:
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Toss the Brussels sprouts, potatoes, and onion in 1 tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place on the baking sheet.
  3. Roast veggies in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until softened and crispy around the edges.
  4. While the veggies are roasting, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet.
  5. Add the mushrooms, cooking just until they soften.
  6. Then, add the garlic and kale, cooking just until the kale begins to wilt and turn bright green. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
  7. Mix the kale mixture with the roasted veggies and add to a serving bowl. Top with crushed walnuts and dried cranberries.
  8. Start the dressing.
    9. For the dressing:
  9. Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar.
  10. Place the lid back on the jar and give everything a good shake.
  11. Drizzle dressing over the salad before serving.
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Need to reheat this salad? Just pop it in a skillet with a light drizzle of olive oil, keep stirring it, and let it warm up for a few minutes.  It’s also pretty good cold the next day! 

Did you make this Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad

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If you love your pizza piled high with toppings like meat, cheese, and veggies, you’ll love this Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad made with pepperoni, veggies, mozzarella cheese, and other pizza inspired flavors!

This post may contain affiliate links. Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


What’s your favorite kind of pizza?  While I won’t turn away a hot and bubbly slice of plain pie – or any pie for that matter – I really love a good slice of pizza piled high with veggies, meat, and cheese!  You get a little bit of everything in every bite!  Plus, I like to think that adding veggies to pizza makes it healthier, meaning I can have an extra slice!

We’re a big, pizza loving family.  We have pizza every Friday night and my entire family makes their own pies – there’s no delivery here! So while I was trying to think of a side dish that would stretch throughout the week, I instantly thought about making a pizza style pasta salad.  Then, I thought about making a loaded pizza pasta salad with veggies, pepperoni, and other pizza inspired flavors. 


Pasta salad is one of my go-to sides to make when I don’t have much else in the house.  As long as you have a box of pasta, some cheese, veggies, and a bottle of salad dressing, you can make a pretty delicious salad!  Plus, pasta salad always lasts us a while.  It not only makes an excellent side, but an easy, cold lunch during the summer months!

I usually make my pasta salads with tricolor pasta to give it a little more color.  But it’s actually been hard to find since the pandemic started.  Weird.  Right?  So I’ve been using chickpea or whole wheat pasta instead.  It’s not as colorful, but it works just as well!  

Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad 

 
Making pasta salad is really simple.  After cooking my pasta, I let it cool and chop up the rest of my ingredients.  For this salad, I used pepperoni, black olives, onion, a large green bell pepper, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes.  I also cut about half of a small block of mozzarella into cubes and finished the salad with Italian dressing.

I finish most of my pasta salads with a bottle of Italian dressing.  It adds just the right amount of zing!  I also like to keep a little extra dressing on the side to refresh the salad when needed.

Like most pasta salads, this salad gets better the longer it sits and soaks up every bit of flavor.  So if you want to whip it up a day ahead of time, go for it!  I would just suggest saving extra dressing for the next day.  You’ll be surprised at how fast the pasta salad soaks up the dressing! 

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Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad

Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. rotini pasta
  • 1 stick pepperoni, cut into quartered pieces
  • 6 oz. black olives, sliced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup baby bella mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
  • 16 fl. oz. bottle Italian dressing
  • Optional: fresh basil, fresh oregano, Pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta according to package.
  2. Rinse with cold water, allow pasta to cool, and add to a large bowl.
  3. Add the pepperoni, olives, bell pepper, onion, tomatoes, mushrooms, and mozzarella to the pasta.
  4. Pour in the Italian dressing and stir.
  5. Serve pasta salad with fresh basil, oregano, and a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano cheese, if desired.
  6. Store up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
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Serve this salad with a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano, or Parmesan cheese, on top and some fresh basil and oregano leaves.  If you want to be bold and add a little kick, sprinkle some crushed red pepper flakes onto the salad, too! 

Did you make this Loaded Pizza Pasta Salad recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad

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This Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad is a light and healthy, veggie loaded side dish or a protein packed, plant based lunch!

This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


I will 100 percent admit that I’m pretty much done with summer.  With everything going on this year, I tried my best to enjoy the summer months, but I just can’t handle the heat and humidity anymore – and the mosquitoes, the crazy weather, and the constant fireworks that seem to go off around the neighborhood and drive Hunter (and me) crazy.  So I’m done. 

Well, almost done. 

As much as I’m craving crisp mornings and warm sweaters, I am still craving fresh veggies, light dishes, and being able to pick tomatoes, eggplant, onions, and peppers straight from our garden.  So while I’m hot and miserable (actually, not-so-miserable thanks to the constant blasting of our air conditioning), I still get to enjoy what’s left of our garden and make veggie loaded salads made with ingredients picked straight from our backyard! 


I’ve been meaning to make this salad for a while.  I had two baggies of green lentils just sitting our freezer.  But since our tomatoes have taken over our kitchen windowsill, we’ve seen a lot of Caprese salads cross our dining room table. Tomato salads only go so far, so I wanted to make a salad that would hold up throughout the week, would make a cool and quick side dish, and be easy to pack for my husband’s lunch.

My once picky husband is fairly new to lentils.  So I wasn’t sure what to expect when I put this salad on the dinner table.  I watched him gobble up the portion that he spooned onto his plate and ask for some for lunch the next day.  When I asked him if he liked it, he said, “It’s a good salad for hot summer days!”  And he’s been working a lot of them since he works outdoors.  I love a husband approved dish!

Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad

 
If you’ve never cooked lentils before, the cooking process is kind of like cooking rice.  Like rice, I cooked the lentils in vegetable broth to infuse a little more flavor.  The broth comes to a boil before adding the lentils in.  Then, it’s dropped down to a simmer for about 20 minutes.  The lentils will absorb some of the liquid, but you will have to drain them.  To make a cold salad, like this one, cool them under cold water and set aside.

Remember those summer veggies I was talking about?  Well, we had picked a bunch of cherry tomatoes and some onions from our garden.  Plus, I had some ingredients to use up in the fridge.  So I chopped everything up, combined it with the lentils, and made a simple dressing from lemon, balsamic vinegar, salt and vinegar, a pinch of crushed red pepper, and some fresh oregano that was growing in our herb box. 

The result is a protein packed salad made with fresh ingredients, that just so happens to be vegan, too.  And although the salad is light, it’s still completely filling and will leave you satisfied.   

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Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Ingredients

    For the dressing:
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Optional: crushed red pepper flakes
    • For the lentil salad:
  • 1 1/2 cups dry green lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • 2 cups zucchini, chopped
  • 1 large bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

Instructions

    For the dressing:
  1. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, balsamic, oregano, salt and pepper, and crushed red pepper. Set aside.
    2. For the lentil salad:
  2. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Then, add the lentils.
  3. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until softened.
  4. Drain lentils and rinse with cool water. Set aside.
  5. Add the onion, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, and olives to a large bowl. Stir in the lentils.
  6. Pour dressing over the salad and stir to combine.
  7. Serve salad immediately or chill in the fridge.
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It always amazes me how simple ingredients can end up being a really delicious dish. And this salad is no exception!  It’s a flavorful and refreshing salad that really is perfect for hot summer days! 

Did you make this Fresh and Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Salad recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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