Description
This Pasta Salad is a delightful blend of fresh vegetables and creamy cheese, making it an ideal quick meal or side dish for your gatherings. It’s simple to prepare and packed with flavor, making it a hit for picnics and cookouts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb cavatappi pasta or any shape: shells, bow tie, etc.
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- 2 large orange bell pepper chopped
- 2 large yellow bell pepper chopped
- ¼ cup red onion diced finely
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups monterey jack cheese ½” cubes
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil, then add the pasta. Stir occasionally and cook for 5-8 minutes until al dente.
- Drain the pasta, shaking off excess water, and rinse it under cold water to prevent stickiness.
- Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Immediately add olive oil and salt to the hot pasta, tossing well to coat. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
- While the pasta cools, finely chop the red onion, parsley, and basil. Dice the orange and yellow bell peppers, and cut the Monterey Jack cheese into ½-inch cubes.
- Add the diced red onion, vinegar, chopped parsley and basil, bell peppers, and cheese cubes to the chilled pasta. Toss to combine and chill again for at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
- Store any leftovers in a covered bowl or airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
Feel free to substitute any pasta shape you prefer.
This dish can be made a day ahead for better flavor. Just keep it covered in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 15mg