Keywords: vegetarian, pasta, quick, lunch
Serves: 5
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Equipment: pot for pasta, large serving bowl, measuring cup, measuring spoons, knife
Ingredients:
Pasta salad
- 1 package pasta of choice
- 1 cup bocconcini or mozzarella balls
- 1 cup spinach
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cucumber, chopped
- 1 bunch basil, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 – 6 tablespoons balsamic glaze depending on preference
Honey balsamic glaze
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, grated or minced garlic
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Directions:
- In a large pot bring salted water to boil. Once boiling, add your package of pasta and cook for 10 minutes. Once cooked, run pasta under cold water to stop the cooking.
- Return 4 cups of pasta to your serving bowl and pat pasta dry.
- Add pasta salad ingredients to your bowl with pasta.
- In a small bowl combine all honey balsamic glaze ingredients and mix well.
- Add balsamic glaze dressing over your pasta salad and mix until well combined.
- Serve cold.
Variations:
- For pasta choices it is recommended to use medium sized shells, rigatoni, orecchiette, or paccheri pasta.
- Any vegetables can be removed or added.
- Bocconcini is similar to mozzarella balls and can be substituted.
Notes:
- Keeps for 5 days refrigerated in an airtight container. Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition Notes:
- Adding vegetables to your pasta is a great way to increase vegetable intake. Choose a whole grain pasta if possible as it has more fiber and nutrients than enriched white pasta.
Savings Tip:
- Buying pasta and dressing ingredients in bulk can reduce the cost and can be stored for long periods of time.
Nutrition Facts:
| Serving Size | 1/5 of recipe |
| Number of Servings | 5 |
| Energy (kcal) | 450 |
| Total Fat (g) | 21.4 |
| Saturated (g) | 7.8 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 32.2 |
| Sodium (mg) | 624.5 |
| Total Carbs (g) | 48.5 |
| Dietary Fiber (g) | 3.3 |
| Total Sugar (g) | 11.7 |
| Added Sugar (g) | 7 |
| Protein (g) | 15.8 |
| Vitamin D (mcg) | 0 |
| Calcium (mg) | 345.7 |
| Iron (mg) | 2.2 |
| Potassium (mg) | 296.3 |