Buffalo Pasta Salad Without Chicken!
Buffalo Pasta Salad Without Chicken should be on your recipe list! It's one of my favorite summer side and Christmas dishes. It's packed with flavor, super easy to make, and perfect for everyone, regardless of dietary restrictions.
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 8 ounces of your favorite pasta rotini or penne works well
- Salt for boiling water
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup diced cucumber
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup diced carrots
Buffalo Sauce:
- ½ cup hot sauce
- ¼ cup melted butter or vegan butter substitute
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise or vegan mayo substitute
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boiling the pasta:Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- Prepping the vegetables:In a large bowl, combine the halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red onion, chopped celery, and diced carrots. Mix well to evenly distribute the vegetables.
- Making the buffalo sauce:In a small bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, melted butter, and white vinegar until well combined. Adjust the amount of hot sauce to your desired level of spiciness.
- Assembling the salad:Add the cooked pasta to the bowl of vegetables. Pour the buffalo sauce over the pasta and vegetables. Toss gently to coat the pasta and vegetables with the sauce.
- Adding the dressing:In a separate small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ranch dressing, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Serving:Once chilled, give the salad a final toss before serving. Serve the buffalo pasta salad without chicken chilled or at room temperature. Garnish with fresh herbs, such as chopped parsley or cilantro, if desired. Enjoy as a main dish or as a side dish alongside your favorite grilled vegetables or tofu.
Notes
When whipping up buffalo pasta salad without chicken, remember that freshness impacts taste. So, ideally, consume it within the first 24 to 48 hours.
What about after 2 days? Although it's still safe to consume buffalo pasta salad without chicken up to 5 days, do note that it might lose some texture and flavor as time progresses. Your pasta may become a bit soggy after absorbing the sauce too much.
Lastly, a sign of your buffalo pasta salad going bad is a sour smell or off-taste, even before the 5-day mark. If you notice such changes, it's safer to discard the salad at once. Your health is more important than not wasting food!