Description
This Pasta Salad is a delightful blend of fresh ingredients and flavors. With cavatappi pasta, vibrant bell peppers, and a zesty dressing, it’s a simple and delicious dish that’s perfect for potlucks, cookouts, or a quick meal at home.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb cavatappi pasta or any shape: shells, bow tie, etc.
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- 2 large orange bell pepper chopped
- 2 large yellow bell pepper chopped
- ¼ cup red onion diced finely
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups monterey jack cheese ½” cubes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil, then add the pasta.
- Stir the pasta in boiling water for 5-8 minutes until al dente.
- Drain the pasta, shake off excess water, and rinse to prevent stickiness.
- Transfer the pasta to a large bowl; immediately mix in the extra virgin olive oil and salt while it's hot. Toss to coat and chill for 30 minutes.
- While the pasta chills, finely chop the red onion, parsley, and basil. Slice the yellow and orange bell peppers, and cut the Monterey Jack cheese into ½" cubes.
- Once chilled, add the chopped red onion, vinegar, parsley, basil, bell peppers, and cheese to the pasta. Toss well and chill again for at least 2 hours, or overnight if desired.
- Store leftovers in a covered container for up to 5 days.
Notes
This salad can be prepared a day in advance for enhanced flavor.
Feel free to use any type of pasta you prefer!
Add more vegetables like cucumbers or cherry tomatoes for extra crunch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 20mg