Best Cheese And Pecan Pasta Salad Recipes

HOUSE SALAD WITH CANDIED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a small saucepan on the stovetop, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, stir in the pecans; toss to coat. Spread the nuts on a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Toast in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until toasty. Keep a close eye on them so that they don't burn. While still warm, sprinkle the nuts with a little bit of kosher salt to taste. Set aside to cool completely. Once cool, you can store the candied nuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice, kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Add the vinegar and mustard, whisk to combine.
• Whisk in the oil, one tablespoon at a time, blending well after each addition. The mixture should be thick, but pourable. If it's too thick, gradually whisk in some water until it reaches the desired consistency. Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Arrange the lettuce greens on individual salad plates or on a large serving platter. Top with candied pecans, blue cheese, cranberries and oranges. Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad, to taste.

QUICK AND EASY PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender, 6 to 10 minutes (check the package for recommended cook time). Drain and rinse well under cold water.
• While the pasta cooks, in the bottom of a large bowl, make the dressing. Whisk the red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, pepperoncini juice (if using), and the olive oil until blended. Add the drained and rinsed pasta to the dressing and mix well.
• Stir in the bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, scallions, pepperoncini (if using), olives, parmesan, mozzarella, and the herbs (if using). Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Serve or for the best results, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 5 days.

APPLE, PECAN AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Add the greens, cherries, pecans, cheese and apples into a large salad bowl.
• Mix the olive oil, Dijon, maple syrup and vinegar in a small jar and sprinkle with and salt and pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake well to mix.
• Pour a little of the salad dressing over the top of the salad and toss to combine. Taste the salad and add more dressing to taste.

GOAT'S CHEESE, PEAR & CANDIED PECAN SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and put the pecans on a non-stick baking sheet. Sprinkle over the sugar and maple syrup, and toss to combine. Roast for 5-7 mins until golden, then leave to cool completely before roughly chopping.
• Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the ingredients and seasoning well. In a large bowl, combine the pear with the rocket, and toss with a little of the dressing.
• Just before serving, blowtorch or grill the goat's cheese rounds until golden. To serve, put the remaining dressing in a squeezy bottle and swirl around the edge of the plate. Put the pear and rocket salad in the middle, scatter over the nuts and top with the goat's cheese.

HAM AND BLUE CHEESE PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl., Stir in the ham, blue cheese, parsley, garlic, rosemary and pepper. Add oil and pecans; mix well. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

FETA, SPINACH AND PECAN PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cut spinach into 1/2"x3" strips.
• Combine spinach, tomatoes, thyme, and 6 Tbsp olive oil in bowl; toss gently and season lightly with pepper, if desired.
• Cook pasta in boiling water 8 min, or al dente.
• Remove from heat (do not drain) and stir in zucchini; let stand 15-20 seconds.
• Drain and rinse with cold water; combine with spinach mixture and toss well.
• Drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil, if desired.
• Add feta and pecans; toss to mix and season with salt if desired.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.