Garden Pasta Salad
Bite-size pasta and an abundance of fresh vegetables are tossed in a zesty Italian vinaigrette to make this flavorful pasta salad.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bite-size pasta
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- 1 English cucumber diced into ½-inch pieces, about 2 cups
- 1 small zucchini diced into ½-inch pieces, about 1 cup
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced into ½-inch pieces, about 1 cup
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper diced into ½-inch pieces, about 1 cup
- 4 green onions sliced thin
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley chopped small
- 12 fresh basil leaves thinly sliced OPTIONAL
Zesty Italian Dressing:
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Salad Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil along with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, but do not rinse the pasta. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, bell peppers, onion, parsley, and basil. Add the cooled pasta and stir to combine.
- Prepare the dressing and pour about half of it over the pasta and vegetables. Toss well to mix throughout. Add more dressing as desired. Stir again. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Dressing Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a pint-size or larger glass jar or bottle. Seal with lid and shake to combine. Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Nutrition
Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 390mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1147IU | Vitamin C: 67mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg