Best Penne And Smoked Mozzarella Salad Recipes

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SMOKED MOZZARELLA AND PENNE SALAD



Smoked Mozzarella and Penne Salad image

From the Whole Foods Market Cookbook. I buy this at the deli at my local Whole Foods a lot, mostly because if I make it, I will eat it ALL. Much better to walk up to the counter and say "One small cup of the mozzarella and penne, please!" Sometimes I find that the deli combines roasted AND fresh bell peppers, a nice added texture, and I'm not sure that they don't blanch their spinach leaves very quickly, as theirs always seem slightly wilted, although it doesn't call for that here. When I make this, my husband prefers that I use some regular mozzarella along with the smoked (just his personal taste) but I like the smoked. When cutting or grating fresh mozzarella, a useful tip is to pop it in the freezer for a few minutes to firm it up a bit--it will be much more receptive to the advances of your knife when it comes out!

Provided by drbecca26

Categories     Lunch/Snacks

Time 30m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pinch cayenne pepper
salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/2 lb penne pasta
2 cups packed baby spinach leaves, washed and stemmed
2 roasted red peppers, diced
1/2 lb smoked mozzarella cheese, diced

Steps:

  • Process the dressing ingredients in food processor or blender until smooth.
  • Cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta in colander and run under cold water until well-cooled.
  • In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, spinach, roasted red peppers and smoked mozzarella.
  • Toss the salad with the dressing then serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 262.4, Fat 12.8, SaturatedFat 5.1, Cholesterol 29, Sodium 339.2, Carbohydrate 27.7, Fiber 3.5, Sugar 1.3, Protein 10.2

PENNE AND SMOKED MOZZARELLA SALAD



PENNE AND SMOKED MOZZARELLA SALAD image

Categories     Lunch

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 13

8 ounces penne (about 3 1/4 cups)
1 cup Basic Mayonnaise or any all-natural mayonnaise
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 ounces parmesan or other hard cheese shredded (1/2 cup)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. tabasco or other hot sauce
Pinch of ground cloves
1 jarred roasted red bell pepper, drained and dices (1/2 cup)
8 ounces smoked mozzarella, diced (2 cups)
5 ounces spinach leaves, washed, dried and sliced into strips

Steps:

  • Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions indicated. Rinse with cold water, drain well, and seer aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, 1/4 cup water, olive oil, rice vinegar parmesan, garlic, black pepper, salt, hot sauce and cloves. Fold the pasta into the dressing and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before serving, fold the bell pepper, mozzarella and spinach leaves into the pasta.

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