Party veggie pasta salad
Delight your taste buds with this vibrant and flavorful veggie pasta salad, perfect for your next gathering or party. Packed with fresh vegetables and tossed in a zesty dressing, it's sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients:
- 450g dry whole grain pasta, such as barilla whole grain rotini
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cup fresh bite-size broccoli florets or chopped asparagus*
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup grated pecorino-romano or parmigiano-reggiano cheese**
- 170g jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1 large orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1 smal red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), thinly sliced, rehydrated (if need)
- 1/3 cup hot banana pepper rings or thinly sliced pepperoncini, drained
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
- 2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano, or to taste
- 1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions:
- 1. Boil the pasta as per the instructions on the package until it is firm when bitten, about 9 minutes. (Alternatively, do the “lid cook” method for the pasta! That involves adding the pasta to boiling water, covering it, taking it off the heat, and letting it sit covered for 9 minutes. Then, drain the pasta without rinsing and while it's still hot, mix it with 1/4 cup of oil, broccoli, and garlic in a large bowl. Allow it to cool for 30 minutes and then refrigerate it to chill.
- 2. Pour vinegar over the cooled pasta and mix well. Add cheese, artichoke hearts, bell pepper, grape tomatoes, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, hot pepper, basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Combine everything thoroughly. If you're not serving immediately, you can cover the dish and refrigerate it. (You can keep it chilled overnight if needed.)
- 3. Just before serving, add the remaining 1/4 cup of oil, adjust the seasoning, and serve the dish at room temperature.
- *If you're using asparagus, mix the asparagus tips with the pasta about 2 minutes before the pasta is done cooking.
- **You can offer cheese separately on the side, if preferred.
Summary:
- Calories: 3474 kcal
- Fat: 160 g
- Protein: 110 g
- Carbs: 415 g
- Potassium: 3942 mg
- Magnesium: 459 mg