It’s a Pasta and Vegetable Salad Kind of Summer, Taco Ranch Pasta Salad

Maybe it’s all the colorful vegetables at the farmers’ markets right now, or maybe it was all the carb-loaded tater tot hot dish this winter — but I am ready for fresh vegetables and light, chilled summer meals.

For this taco ranch pasta salad, I got my inspiration from the southwest pasta salad recipe in the Kowalski’s Markets 30th anniversary cookbook. Kowalski’s Markets is my feel-good grocery stop in the Twin Cities. They have some of the best bakery goods, deli meats and cheeses, local products, breads…I could go on, and on, and on.

Because I was making the salad for my daughter and me, I left out the garlic, cilantro, jalapeño pepper, and red onion so she wouldn’t turn her nose up and not try it. But cheddar cheese is always safe.

Next up for me is my sister’s chicken chickpea cilantro salad. I’ve been craving it for weeks.

By the time that’s gone, the farmers’ market should have a lot of what you need for ex in-law broccoli ranch salad.

I recently came across these two recipes I want to try this summer: Broccoli Bacon Cashew Salad recipe from Reluctant Entertainer and The Greenest Green Salad recipe from The Splendid Table.

What are your favorite summer pasta and vegetable salads?

Chop chop,