Healthy & Delicious Pasta Salad w/ Vegetables


Please don't tune out.

I know you hate the word "pasta salad". It reminds us of slimy deli salads with too much mayo and overcooked pasta.

This is different.

I stole it from Eileen, whose site is one of my favorite food blogs.

This is light and healthy, and even my husband enjoyed it. I added peas for a little sweetness, otherwise followed the recipe to a the letter.

Make this for your next picnic, it is light and delicious.


Eileen's Favorite Pasta Salad: (adapted from Living Tastefully)

• 1 pound cheese filled tortellini
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 carrots, finely julienned
• 1 cup of frozen peas, defrosted
• handful of chopped scallions
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons plus one teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground pepper

Cook tortellini; Drain immediately and rinse under cool running water. Drain well. Reserve in large bowl.

Steam broccoli about 3 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Steam carrots, about 1 minute. Rinse under cold water. Add broccoli, carrots and scallions to tortellini.

Whisk oil, vinegar and mustard in a bowl. Whisk in herbs and seasonings. Pour vinaigrette over salad; toss gently to mix.

I made this 3 hours ahead and left it on the counter at room temperature so the vinaigrette had time to mingle.


It was delicious!

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Comments

Kathy Walker said…
Pasta salads are popular at our house during the hot summer months. Yours looks so light, healthy and delicious
Anonymous said…
I like good mayonnaise (Best Foods aka Hellman's is delicious), but not on pasta salad. Vinaigrette is so much better. So thanks for this idea. Would never have thought of using cheese tortellini. We have a picnic concert coming up. This will be perfect. Thanks, Stacey!

(PS: No matter how carefully I cook and immediately cool broccoli, it seems to turn brownish whenever it hits vinaigrette? Your comment?)

Bebe
Joanne said…
Now THIS is my kind of pasta salad! Love how veggie-full this is!