Twisted Green Salad with Jalapeno Ranch
One of the go-to salads that I like to take to loved ones is this Twisted Green Salad with Jalapeno Ranch dressing. It is also wonderful to serve while at the lake or the beach. The “twisted” part of the salad is the fusilli pasta that is mixed in with the romaine lettuce and other veggies. The dressing is a slightly spicy, creamy Jalapeno Ranch that has a bit of a kick. So this salad is part green, part pasta, and all good!!
The dressing calls for fresh cilantro, but if you are not a cilantro fan you can easily substitue fresh parsley. The same is true for the onion. You can substitute the red onion with a shallot or some chopped green onions, no problem. You will however need to use romaine lettuce or another heartier lettuce to hold up with the thick dressing and the pasta twists. Spring mixes or thinner lettuces will be too fragile and could get crushed.
When taking this salad to loved ones, I will substitute green onion for the red onion. I combine the romaine with the fusilli, the green onion, and the carrot in a rectangular foil pan with a plastic lid. Then just drop in the cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with the cheddar. Bring the dressing along separately in a glass jar with lid.
Another variation to this salad is to mix in a protein of your choice. You can add rotisserie chicken breast, smoked turkey or ham from the deli, crumbled bacon, or even leftover steak straight from the fridge. Wonderful!
Twisted Green Salad with Jalapeno Ranch
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fusilli pasta can substitue rotini, corkscrew, or other pasta twists
- 1 10 oz package romaine lettuce chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 cup red onion chopped
- 1/4 cup shredded carrot
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
- juice of one lime
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapenos chopped fine
- 2 Tbsp brine from the pickled jalapeno jar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook fusilli according to package directions. Drain, and rinse under cold water until cool. When cool, toss with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt and place in refrigerator until ready to mix with other ingredients.
- Meanwhile, combine dressing ingredients in jar and shake well; or combine in a bowl and mix well with wire whisk.
- In a large bowl, add salad greens, pasta, tomatoes and other ingredients. Drizzle on Jalapeno Ranch to taste and garnish with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!