Summertime Garden Veggie Pasta Salad
Bursting with vibrant colors and fresh flavors, this Summertime Garden Veggie Pasta Salad is the ultimate warm-weather dish that’s perfect for picnics, barbecues, or a light and refreshing lunch. Featuring tender rotini pasta tossed with juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, sweet red bell peppers, and aromatic fresh basil, this salad is a celebration of seasonal garden-fresh produce. A zesty homemade dressing made with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a hint of Dijon mustard brings everything together with a delightful tang. Top it off with crumbled feta cheese for a savory twist, or keep it vegan by using a touch of maple syrup in the dressing. With just 15 minutes of prep time, this versatile, make-ahead recipe is easy, delicious, and sure to become a summertime favorite.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 12 oz Rotini pasta (or any short pasta)
- 1.5 cups Cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium Cucumber, diced
- 1 medium Red bell pepper, diced
- 0.5 cup Red onion, finely chopped
- 0.25 cup Fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 0.5 cup Crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- 0.25 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Honey (or maple syrup for vegan option)
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 1 tsp Salt
- 0.5 tsp Black pepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. Set aside.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the vegetables. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper, and finely chop the red onion.
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined. This will be your dressing.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and fresh basil.
Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Gently toss everything together until evenly coated.
If desired, sprinkle crumbled feta cheese on top for added flavor.
Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
Serve chilled and enjoy your Summertime Garden Veggie Pasta Salad!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
260 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 15.1 g | 19% | |
| Saturated Fat | 4.6 g | 23% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 18 mg | 6% | |
| Sodium | 576 mg | 25% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 26.3 g | 10% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.1 g | 11% | |
| Total Sugars | 5.8 g | ||
| Protein | 7.2 g | 14% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 128 mg | 10% | |
| Iron | 1.4 mg | 8% | |
| Potassium | 348 mg | 7% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
