Best Pasta Salad
Rich in protein and deliciousness, this spring and summer side dish favorite will be the BEST pasta salad you’ve ever had!
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
Expert Tips and Substitutions
- 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 10.5g
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