Salad Of Healthy Pasta

This bright pasta salad consists of cucumbers, tomatoes, and a dressing of basil balsamic. It’s mayo-free, gluten-free, and vegan, but it’s still great!

I’m so excited about sharing this recipe with you because I know you’ll love this healthy pasta salad version that my mom makes every summer.

Using a Balsamic Dressing instead of Mayo

My mother’s original recipe calls for Miracle Whip, which isn’t exactly EBF friendly, so I skipped it in favor of an olive oil-based balsamic dressing with fresh basil. Aside from that, the salad ingredients are the same.

And Mom will be pleased to know that I did not remove the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar from the recipe. Maybe it’s simply memories, but I think it adds a nice touch to the salad. To make things more natural and unrefined, I used coconut sugar.

The Healthy Pasta Salad Ingredients

In sum, this Salad Of Healthy Pasta is a real find. Not only is it simple to prepare, but it also requires few ingredients and tastes incredibly fresh and delectable. The recipe yields a large quantity, which makes it ideal for feeding a crowd!

• Gluten-free pasta noodles – I recommend legume or quinoa-based pasta noodles because they are naturally gluten-free and high in protein and fiber. Pasta that is nutrient-dense = amazing!

• Tomatoes – these teeny-tiny guys give the salad an incredible flavor.

• cucumbers and red onions – to add a bit of crunch.

• balsamic vinaigrette – a super simple vinaigrette made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, coconut sugar, crushed red pepper, and sea salt.

Notes & Replacements

Change up the mix-ins for this spaghetti salad… I do! I’ll use any vegetables I have on hand. Make it your own!

If you don’t like red onions, use yellow onions instead.

If you don’t require it to be dairy-free, feta is a terrific addition.

Avocado – Want to make your pasta salad creamier and healthier? Add some avocado!

Dressing — I prefer the balsamic dressing on this salad, but any dressing would do. Options: Lemon vinaigrette, white balsamic, or Greek dressing.

Pasta Salad Storage

This Salad Of Healthy Pasta goes great with almost any protein. It goes well with my apple cider vinegar chicken. The flavors go beautifully together. A great side for cookouts or potlucks.

Prep the salad the night before and refrigerate until serving.

Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days in an airtight container.