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4.91 from 10 votes

Healthy Pasta Salad

Rich in protein and deliciousness, this Healthy Pasta Salad is a summer side dish favorite recipe and is the BEST pasta salad you’ve ever had! Great for making ahead of time, you can customize it with your favorite seasonal veggies!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: barbecue, summer, vegetables
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 257kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 8 ounces rotini noodles
  • ¾ cup chopped English cucumber
  • ¾ cup shredded carrot
  • 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
  • ½ cup diced red onion
  • 5 ounces sliced olives
  • 14 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
  • 3-4 ounces regular or turkey pepperoni quartered
  • 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cubed
  • 2 ounces fresh basil thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup light Caesar dressing
  • ⅓ cup light Greek dressing
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼-1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook it according to the package instructions until it is al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  • Toss until well combined. Taste and adjust flavors as desired.
  • Transfer to a serving dish or large bowl. Garnish with additional fresh basil and parmesan cheese if desired.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

Tips: 
    • Customize to Taste: This pasta salad is highly customizable. Besides the ingredients I used, here are some more ingredients you could incorporate:
        • Blanched Asparagus
        • Blanched or Raw Broccoli
        • Blanched or Raw Cauliflower
        • Red Peppers or Green Peppers
        • Kalamata Olives, Black Olives
        • Sundried Tomatoes
        • Italian Seasoning
        • Fresh Parsley
        • Green Onions
        • Chickpeas
        • Zucchini
        • Squash
        • Radishes
        • Sugar snap peas
        • Fresh Corn
        • Edamame
        • Beans
        • Crispy Bacon
        • Cheese (Feta Cheese or Cheddar Cheese)
    • Prep in Advance: Have all of your pasta salad ingredients chopped and measured first for quicker assembly and a lesser chance of error.
    • Make it a Meal: You can make this pasta salad a meal by simply pairing it with a protein like grilled chicken, shrimp, tuna, ham, tofu or steak.
    • Dressing: Vinegar-based dressing varieties like Italian dressing, balsamic vinaigrette, ranch dressing, Caesar dressing, or a simple olive oil and vinegar dressing all work great. Mayonnaise-based dressings are also popular for creamy pasta salads too. Add the dressing gradually and toss well to coat. You can always add more dressing as needed, but it's harder to remove excess dressing once added.
Storage: 
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. The pasta tends to soak up the dressing the longer it’s stored. If needed, toss with additional dressing. This is not a freeze and thaw friendly dish.
Make this pasta salad up to a few hours in advance to store in the fridge. Trust us when we say it's even more delicious this way!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 10.5g
Tried this recipe?Mention @dinnerin321 or tag #dinnerin321!