Pasta Salad Kebab
A pasta salad can easily be deconstructed into your kid’s favorite foods: pasta and cheese. Just build kebabs with the salad ingredients. The skewers might even persuade everyone to finish the veggies in the lunchbox.
If you prefer, make a big batch of pasta salad with all of these same ingredients. It lasts in the refrigerator for days. The individual ingredients also last for days, so you could mix and match: Make some kebabs today and make the salad later in the week.
Serve with green grapes or veggie chips.
Storage notes: The kebabs and the salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. The dressing can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Notes: Tortelloni are large tortellini found in the refrigerated section in your local grocery. Avoid frozen or dried tortellini: They’re typically much smaller and shaped in a circle, so they don’t work well on skewers.
In a rush? Use ¾ cup store-bought vinaigrette (such as Italian) in place of the homemade dressing. If you like, you can leave the kebabs undressed or you can brush them with vinaigrette.
Many schools have safety policies regarding what objects are allowed in schools. If you plan to send the skewered kebabs to school with your child, check with the administration to see if they are allowed. If not, the pieces could be placed in a small container as finger food.
KEBABS OR SALAD
18 ounces refrigerated cheese tortelloni (large cheese tortellini, see notes)
8 ounces small mozzarella balls (also called ciliegine)
2 bell peppers, any color, cut into bite-size pieces
¼ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
1 cup (5 ounces) cherry tomatoes
SALAD DRESSING
¼ cup white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon dried dill
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon table or fine sea salt, plus more to taste
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, rinse the pasta in a colander under cold water until it is warm. While the pasta cooks, prepare the ingredients and make the dressing.
If making the kebabs: Make 1 to 2 skewers per serving, using bamboo skewers. For each skewer, alternate approximately 3 tortelloni, 2 mozzarella balls, 3 olives, 3 bell pepper pieces and 3 cherry tomatoes. The kebabs are ready to serve or can be lightly dressed (see notes).
If making the pasta salad: Halve the mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes and olives.
In a large bowl, whisk together the white-wine vinegar with the sugar, Italian seasoning, dill, garlic powder and salt. Then whisk in the olive oil. Once the pasta is done, shake off as much water as possible and add it to the large bowl along with the mozzarella balls, olives, bell peppers and tomatoes. Toss gently to combine and serve.
Makes 6 to 8 servings