Pasta Salad

When you think of pasta dishes, you’re probably associating it with cream, cheese and heavy meals. But that’s not necessarily true. Today we’re making a healthy pasta salad with plenty of vegetables. This is perfect for picnics or lunch.

Ingredients

• 375g pasta of your choice
• 1 big onion
• 2 big tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup green olives
• 1/2 cup black olives
• 1 yellow capsicum
• 1 green capsicum
• 1/2 cup corn kennels
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup carrots
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves
• salt according to taste
• 2L water

Preparation

1. Bring to boil 2L of water and add a teaspoon of salt. Once the water starts to boil, add your pasta and let it cook for 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, it’s time to chop the vegetables. The onions and parsley should be finely chopped. Capsicums and Tomatoes should be diced. Olives are cut into halves. the garlic cloves should be grated. The green beans are cut into small dices.
3. In a saucepan, bring some water to boil and add a teaspoon of salt. Add the green beans and cauliflower florets . After a few minutes, add the corn kennels when the cauliflower and green beans are nearly ready. Once the vegetables are cooked, drain the water. You may steam these vegetables instead of boiling them if you prefer.
4. Once the pasta is ready, drain the water and to ensure that the pasta remains al dente, rinse under cold running water and keep aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, add all the vegetables except the parsley. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt & pepper, garlic and italian seasoning. Mix it well. Next add the pasta and give it a good stir. Finally, add the cheese and fresh parsley.

If you’re looking for something to serve with this pasta, hummus is a great choice. It’s easy to prepare and gives you an extra boost of proteins. Check out our Hummus Recipe.