Healthy Pasta Salad: My Nutritious Twist on a Classic Dish
This healthy pasta salad recipe is a summer cookout essential and anything but boring! Chock full of fresh ingredients like colorful veggies, fresh basil, and a zippy homemade dressing that will have you coming back for seconds.
Servings: 5
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Large mixing bowl
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 8 oz pasta
- 1 14.5 oz can chickpeas
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup quartered English cucumber
- ¾ cup sliced kalamata olives
- ⅓ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup chopped basil
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool. Set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, chop the other salad components and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Add all the salad dressing ingredients to a mason jar, cover with a lid and shake well to combine.
- Add the pasta to the bowl with the salad ingredients, pour the dressing over top, and toss the pasta salad until everything is evenly coated with the dressing. Serve immediately or allow to chill in the fridge until ready to eat.
Nutrition
Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 13g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g