RECIPE: Easy Summer Pasta Salad

PREPARE THE PASTA

1 Package Gluten-Free Pasta. I’ve used Trader Joe’s brown rice pasta, or Schar brand, or any sort of penne, fusilli, rigatoni or elbow macaroni noodle.

Prepare pasta as directed. While the pasta is cooking, wash then chop all of the vegetables and prepare the very easy dressing. 

PREPARE THE VEGGIES

• 2 mini-cucumbers or one full-size cucumbers. Dice into small chunks about the size of a dime or nickel.
• 5-8 mini sweet bell peppers or 2 large bell peppers. I like red and yellow because they have the most flavor. The more pepper colors you use, the more colorful the salad will be! Cut into small chunks about the size of a dime or nickel.
• Two handfuls of baby carrots or two large carrots peeled and diced.
• Half a package of grape tomatoes. Cut into halves or quarters (only if you’re good with a knife).

PREPARE THE DRESSING

Mix equal parts extra virgin olive oil and red balsamic vinegar. For an entire bag of pasta and the vegetable listed about I mixed three tablespoons of each but it really depends on how much dressing you like. Start slow and add more to taste. Squeeze the juice of half of a quarter of lemon into it for taste (about a tablespoon or two of liquid to taste). Add a dash of salt and pepper – or more for taste (but the dressing with lemon is so flavorful I promise). I even add a sprinkle of dried garlic too (but I love garlic).

Once the pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse as stated on the pasta packaging. Mix the chopped vegetables with the pasta in a large bowl. Toss dressing into pasta and vegetable mix. Cover and refrigerate pasta salad until cold. If you are bringing the salad to a party, make sure to bring a little dressing on the side to toss into the salad if it gets too dried out. Feel free to garnish with shredded basil if you’re into the taste!