Name: Bowtie Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb bowtie (farfalle) pasta, preferably whole wheat; 2 teaspoons avocado oil, or oil of choice; 12 ounces thin asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch pieces; salt and pepper; 1 8 ounce package grape tomatoes, halved; 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken; 1 cup homemade Italian dressing (or store bought)

This Bowtie Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing can be served cold as a side salad or warm as a main-course for your dinner!

Confession: I could live on pasta salads. Oh the carb-y goodness of a delicious pasta salad makes me so happy. Because I love them so much, I try to load with up with as much healthy goodness as I can.

This Bowtie Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing uses my super easy Homemade Italian Dressing I posted last week. You can use any store-bought Italian dressing, however, if needed.

You can’t have a healthier pasta salad without some vegetables, right? I add some asparagus and cherry tomatoes to this one, and I loved it! Chicken adds some protein to balance out those carbs and make this totally fitting for a main-course dinner if that’s what you fancy.

About Bowtie Pasta

If I’m being honest, I call it “Bowtie Pasta” because I can never remember what the real name is.

When you’re looking for it at the store, you’ll see the real name, Farfalle. Farfalle is Italian and is derived from the word farfalle , which means butterfly. I’ve only heard people call it Bowtie pasta, but Butterfly Pasta would be even more appropriate!

If you want to be authentic, call it farfalle, pronounced like far-FALL-lay. We use it here because it has perfect nooks and crannies for the Italian dressing to get stuck in. You can always substitute another pasta shape if you prefer.

How to Make Bowtie Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

This really couldn’t be a more simple recipe, especially if you have some leftover chicken in your refrigerator. I recommend using chicken you make using this recipe for a whole chicken cooked in the Instant Pot or this recipe for Crockpot Shredded Chicken.

Here are the easy steps:

Cook the pasta according to the package directions and allow it to cool.
Meanwhile, cook the asparagus in a pan and then allow it to cool.
Mix the ingredients for the Italian dressing if you’re making homemade Italian dressing.
Add the pasta, asparagus, tomatoes, and shredded chicken to a large bowl.
Pour the Italian dressing on top and stir to combine.

If you want this to be a hot pasta dinner, follow the same steps, and just don’t allow the pasta and asparagus to cool and serve it hot.

You’re going to love this easy and delicious Bowtie Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing!