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Vegetarian Pasta Salad with Herbed Balsamic

By Heather

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company.

Pasta salad and tea

In the summertime, we love fresh and crispy chilled salads to go along with our warm grilled chicken, steak and fish. It just so happens that my organic garden is blossoming with all of the fresh produce we need to make all of the delicious vegetable dishes that we love to eat, and nothing beats fresh. It makes such a difference in both taste and texture – not to mention also being better for you.

We’ve been grilling so much that we ran out of propane. While doing a tank exchange at Walmart I picked up a few ingredients I needed for a delicious summer meal: Barilla pasta and Gold Peak Tea. Everything else was waiting for me at home in my garden bed.

Cold pasta and dressing

The only cooking required for this recipe is to boil pasta. Because summer cookin’ should be as easy like a Sunday morning. Anyone that knows anything about pasta salad knows the cardinal rule – don’t overcook the pasta. You don’t want a big pile of mushy pasta but you do want to keep the pasta as al dente as the veggies are crisp. Do this by draining the pot as soon as it’s done and immediately chillin the pasta by continuing to give it ice water baths until you have cold pasta. Barilla (in the blue box) is the only pasta we buy.

We discovered Gold Peak Tea a few years back when on vacation, and I was so excited to find it at Walmart. It comes in several different flavors but ultimately I chose to buy green tea. It is lightly sweet and refreshing all on its own so there is no need to ever add anything, but I like to drop a fresh lemon slice in my glass to be fancy.

Herbed balsamic

The herbed balsamic dressing adds a nice bite to this salad, and it comes together very easily. We should all make our own dressing more often!

IMG_3039

5.0 from 4 reviews
Fresh Pasta Salad with Herbed Balsamic Dressing
 
Save Print
Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
7 mins
Total time
27 mins
 
This delicious pasta salad utilizes garden fresh ingredients for a delicious main dish or side salad.
Author: Heather @ GirlGoneMom.com
Recipe type: Side
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Dressing
  • ½ cup balsamic vinegar of modena
  • 2 tablespoons honey Dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic
  • handfull of fresh basil leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salad
  • 1 lb. Barilla rotini pasta
  • 1 yellow zucchini chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • pint grape tomatoes, quartered
  • 10 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced and chopped
Instructions
Dressing
  1. In a blender, add vinegar, mustard, garlic and herbs.
  2. Blend to combine ingredients.
  3. Turn blender on low and slowly add the olive oil.
  4. Set aside
Salad
  1. Cook pasta and drain.
  2. Fill the pot with cold water and ice until the cooked pasta becomes chilled.
  3. Add ½ cup of dressing to the chilled pasta and mix well.
  4. Gently mix in fresh veggies and cheese until combines.
3.4.3177

 

 

Filed Under: Salads, Sponsored, Vegetarian

About Heather

Heather is the founder of GirlGoneMom.com. She lives in Southern New Jersey with her husband, 12-year-old daughter, 9-year-old son, her cat Spencer and Buddy the lab mix. You’ll find a combination of family-friendly reviews and giveaways, deal alerts, personal stories and articles relating to parenting on GirlGoneMom.com.

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Comments

  1. Agness of Run Agness Run says

    at

    Delicious salad recipe, Heather! My family adores pasta, so I can’t wait to introduce this salad into our Sunday lunch.

    • Heather says

      at

      Thanks Agness! I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think after you try it!

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