Some recipes tell you what season it is. For me, grilled brats means the fall. Chili is for the winter. This pasta salad, is for picnic season. It was a staple for the summer during my teen years, is so easy to make, somewhat healthy and has tremendous flavor (with the sesame dressing, mandarin oranges and the vegetables). It makes a lot of pasta salad, so you’ll have plenty to share.
A wonderful collection of textures and tastes.
It is tough to find a vinegarette mix. Often I will select a garlic and herb or similar packet.
A gem from my childhood. An actual Hidden Valley Ranch glass dressing container.
Pasta Salad
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 0 hr 0 min | Servings: 10 servings as a side | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
- Salad Dressing
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/8 cup sesame oil
- 1 package of vinegarette mix
- Pasta Salad
- 1 package of tri colored rotini or similar pasta
- 1 can mandarin oranges
- 1/2 jar Hormel bacon bits (eliminate for vegetarian)
- 1/2 head cauliflower
- Several large bunches of broccoli (about same as 1/2 head cauliflower)
- 1 can Chinese chowmein noodles
Directions:
Mix all salad dressing ingredients together and chill.
Cook pasta according to directions. When complete, run under cold water until chilled. Add oranges, bacon bits, and veggies . Mix in salad dressing and chill before serving. Add chowmein noodles after removing from refrigerator and when ready to serve.
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
I absolutely love pasta salad – added benefit – leftovers!
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Good looking pasta salad.
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Looks good, I’ll bring this to the summer picnics!
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I like the idea of mandarin and bacon together; sweet, salty, slightly sour. Do the noodles work well with the pasta? I would never have thought of putting these two carbs together. Sounds like a delicious salad though. Just getting into raw broccoli and cauliflower now. What is vinaigrette mix? I have never seen it in the UK. Is it seasoning?
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Vinaigrette mix would be a packet of spices and binders and stuff to mix in to vinegar and oil to make a nice vinaigrette. It’s usually salt, pepper, garlic, maybe some paprika or turmeric for color, and other seasonings depending on variety. I agree with you on the combination of bacon and oranges. I am definitely going to give this a try this summer. 🙂
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Looks like a delicious and easy version.
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I’ve had that same salad dressing bottle for decades…a gift from my Mom (which means I took it without asking when I moved out)!
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Love the addition of oranges–my kids will go nuts for this!
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Seems that everyone is in the mood for pasta salad lately. 🙂
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I LOVE IT !! I could eat pasta salad each 7 days in the week!
I’m addicted to pasta salad!
Thanks for sharing & greetings,
Sunelly Sims
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Looks delish!
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Oy, looks really really yummy!! Will have to try this one for sure.
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Summertime does call in for lot of salads – so no more of your high cholesterol meals coming in?
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Looks easy and delicious!
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Hahah…I remember those ‘cruets’ for dressing too.
*anna
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Yummy…yummy! I cannot wait to fix this! Thanks for sharing!
Peach State
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I love pasta salad!
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This salad looks great! Thanks 🙂
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Ohhh yummy!
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I love your recipes and your blog! which is why I nominated you for the lovely blog award!
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I have to try this. My mom was obsessed with chowmein noodles years ago… I’m shocked I’ve never come across this before! Yum!
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