Description
A vibrant Italian Pasta Salad perfect for summer picnics, potlucks, or family dinners, bursting with colorful veggies and zesty flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz pasta (such as rotini or penne)
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup zesty Italian dressing
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your pasta and cook according to the package instructions, usually about 8-10 minutes for al dente. Don’t forget to stir occasionally! Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Prep your veggies: While the pasta is cooking, chop your veggies! Dice the cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion. Halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the olives.
- Mix it up: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, drained chickpeas, and all the chopped veggies. Optional: Add cheese, like feta or mozzarella pearls.
- Dress the salad: Drizzle the zesty Italian dressing over the salad and toss everything together until well-coated. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Chill and serve: For the best flavors, cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
For creamier pasta salads, add Greek yogurt or extra dressing before serving. Use seasonal veggies for varied flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Italian Pasta Salad, Summer Salad, Picnic Food, Vegetarian Salad