Food for the Brain Dead Pasta Salad

This is the pasta salad for nights when the brain has clocked out and the only thing left in the fridge is a bag of frozen vegetables and yesterday’s pasta. Four ingredients, no cooking beyond the pasta, and dinner is on the plate in 10 minutes.

The sweet potato is the surprise hero. Cubed and tossed in raw (it softens slightly from the warm pasta) or roasted ahead, it adds natural sweetness and orange color that breaks up the beige of pasta and the muted green of frozen mixed veg. Use leftovers if you have them; that’s the whole point of the recipe.

Low-fat or fat-free dressing keeps this light. Italian, ranch, or a lemon-vinaigrette all work, depending on what’s on the door of the fridge. The salad gets better as it sits in the fridge for an hour, so make a double batch and pack lunch for tomorrow.

Quick Tips

• Cook the pasta to al dente, not soft. It absorbs dressing better and holds its shape over a few days in the fridge.
• Run the cooked pasta under cold water to stop the cooking and keep the noodles from going gummy in the salad.
• Microwave the frozen mixed vegetables in a splash of water for 2 minutes to take the chill off before mixing.
• Salt the pasta water generously. Bland pasta makes for bland salad, no matter what dressing goes on top.

Variations

• Add a can of drained chickpeas or white beans for protein and fiber.
• Stir in chopped fresh parsley and a handful of grated Parmesan for an Italian lift.
• Swap sweet potato for roasted butternut squash or canned corn for color and sweetness.