Updated: I’ve added 21 Day Fix container counts to this pasta salad! You can find them at the bottom of this post.
Lately, I’ve been craving pasta salad. Something about cold, carby pasta drenched in olive oil has just appealed to me. Of course, I’m on a diet…so that kind of puts a damper on things. But since I’ve been incorporating whole foods into my diet, I totally justified making pasta salad by making organic pasta salad with all whole foods. BOOM.
I literally threw this together with ingredients I had on hand (actually, it was inspired by the zucchini, because I needed to use it) and had the whole thing prepared in just a few minutes. I wasn’t planning on blogging about it, but since it turned out so pretty and tasted so good I had to snap a few photos…and it would be a shame not to share this easy pasta salad recipe with the world.
I should say here that when it comes to “cooking” (can you call preparing pasta salad cooking?), I am a stickler for following recipes…but when I make something myself, without a recipe, my mantra is, “It’s not rocket science!” I tend pour in olive oil and shake salt and cut up veggies like a mad woman, leaving a trail of destruction in my wake, and hope for the best. So the instructions below are really more guidelines than hard, fast directions.
Easy Pasta Salad
Easy Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- Whole wheat pasta I used about 2.5 cups, dried
- Zucchini I used only one, but I'd use two next time
- Cherry tomatoes I used about two cups
- Olive Oil 2 T
- Balsamic Vinegar 2 T
- Salt and papper to taste
- Mozzarella I used about 8 oz, cut into little cubes
- Basil I used two fresh leaves, diced
- Oregano I used dried, but I'm sure fresh would be better!
Instructions
- Boil your noodles. Once drained, toss in olive oil (just enough to keep the noodles from sticking together). Stick the pasta in the fridge until it's cold. I waited until it had cooled off to mix ingredients because I didn't the cheese to melt or the zucchini to get soft)
- Once cold, add the tomatoes, zucchini, basil, oregano (to taste) and mozzarella. Pour in olive oil (I like to use just enough so that all of the pasta will be coated but it's not pooling in the bottom of the bowl) and the balsamic vinegar (two tablespoons or so). If in doubt, go easy on the olive oil and vinegar and just add more after you've mixed everything. Toss everything together, and add more oil as necessary. This is when I tasted it and decided on a little more balsamic. I also added some salt and pepper at this point.
- Cover, and put back in the fridge so everything can chill.
Notes
Serving sive: 1 1/2 cups - makes about 5 servings
1 yellow
1/2 green
3/4 blue
1 1/2 tsp
This is the perfect dish for summer get-togethers and would be perfect for potlucks, too.
What’s your favorite go-to dish for summer? I have a feeling this is going to be mine!
Looking for more easy recipes and meal planning help? Check out these easy recipes:
Looks really good, and simple to make too-I think I’ll bookmark the recipe and plan on bringing it to a potluck picnic I have coming up in June 🙂
I think you will really like it…it doesn’t take long to make, and you could easily double it to feed a larger crowd!
It does sound pretty easy, and tasty. 🙂
Super easy, and it was a hit! It didn’t last long.
Yummy! We’re always looking for dishes like this to give the players at the softball fields. Love the fact that this is so easy!
It’s so easy!
Yummy and easy! That’s the kind of food I can get behind.
Easy is about all I’m capable of! I just got lucky it turned out so delicious, too.
This recipe looks perfect for summer! Pinning right now! 🙂
Thank you! I plan on having it a lot this summer!
I just pinned…gorgeous photos Carrie! I used up zucchini today too! My husband will love this.
Thank you!! I was proud of my photo…I kept emailing it to my husband saying, “Look at how awesome this is!” lol
The recipe looks quick and easy…and who does not Ike pasta. I love it!!!
It’s totally easy!
Carrie this is a fantastic salad – easy to make and I know that not only me but also my husband would love it!
Hopefully I’ll make it next week
Thanks !!
Let me know if you make it! We actually made it again this week, but we used dried basil and added grilled corn…it was surprisngly sweet and tasty!
Looks like a lovely meal for summers evening. Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!
This sounds yummy!
Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop this week. We hope to see you drop by our neck of the woods next week!
This recipe is completely up my alley. I love it, each ingredient. Seriously.
Yum!
Totally pinning and already pinned to the SITS board, too!
Thank you!! I love all of the ingredients too…I could probably live on mozzarella and olive oil.
What a color-filled, delicious looking meal! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I’m featuring it at this week’s link party. http://www.thelifeofjenniferdawn.com/2014/06/a-little-bird-told-me-link-party-95.html
Thank you Jennifer!
This pasta salad looks so delicious!!
It is SO good! Definitely worth making.
Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe at the Say G’day Saturday linky party. I’ve just pinned your post.
Hope you can join us again this weekend.
Best wishes,
Natasha in Oz
Thanks Natasha!
You had me at pasta! Yum, this looks delicious. I’m going to pin it so others can try it too.
Thanks Kellie! It was so good. Thinking I need to make it again!
Simple fresh and delicious pasta salad! Thanks for sharing your recipe at the #HomeMattersParty this week.
Thanks for sharing at the #InspirationSpotlight party @DearCreatives Pinned & sharing.