A whole grain pasta salad full of Italian ingredients that’s easy to make, healthy, and perfect for any picnic or barbecue!
I don’t know about you, but my favorite part of holidays is hands down the food. There’s just no better feeling than sitting around the table with family eating comfort food.
Unfortunately, though, comfort food is usually unhealthy and full of sugar, butter, cream, and other bad ingredients, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Food can taste like comfort food, but be great for you at the same time, this pasta salad being a great example.
I almost always volunteer to bring a dish to any occasion not only because I love to cook, but because then I know I’ll have something healthy to eat! We’re having a 4th of July picnic at my parents and I wanted to bring something I know everyone would like, but that’s unique and healthy at the same time.
Italy is always on my mind after living there for four months last year, so I decided to make pasta salad, a traditional picnic food, but mix it up with some Italian flavor! I thought back to all my meals in Italy and tried to pick ingredients I ate constantly, those being olives, artichokes, tomatoes, salami, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil.
The dressing is SUPER simple and light, making the salad taste even fresher. This pasta salad may be different than the traditional Italian dressing based salad you may be used to, but I promise you’ll love this version just as much!
Whole Grain Italian Pasta Salad
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A whole grain pasta salad full of Italian ingredients that’s easy to make, healthy, and perfect for any picnic or barbecue!
You'll Need...
- 1 box (16 ounces) 100% whole grain pasta
- 1 can (6 ounces) black olives
- 1 can (14 ounces) quartered artichoke hearts
- 1 container (10 ounces) cherry tomatoes
- ½ small onion
- ½ pound hard salami
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese pearls
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil
- For the dressing:
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (2 cloves) minced garlic
- Dash of salt and pepper
Directions
- Cook the pasta as directed on the package. Add to large bowl.
- Prepare all the ingredients: cut the olives, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes in half, dice the onion, cut the salami in bite sized pieces, and chop the basil.
- Add the cut ingredients and mozzarella cheese to the pasta.
- Make the dressing and add to the pasta, mixing well.
- Chill if desired and serve!
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