Protein Pasta Salad
This Protein Pasta Salad is filling, yet light and refreshing filled with high protein ingredients such as edamame, feta, and protein pasta.
Servings: 6
Calories: 730kcal
Ingredients
- 14.5 oz Protein Pasta, preferably Barilla Rotini
- 3 tablespoon white vinegar
- 9 oz edamame beans
- 2 cups sliced cherry tomatoes
- 1½ cups diced cucumbers
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 6 oz crumbled feta cheese
- 1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
- 8 oz salami, diced
- 1 handful fresh basil, thinly sliced
Vinaigrette Dressing
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine or champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 small clove garlic, inside stem removed, minced
- ¾ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, garlic, basil, oregano, onion powder, and salt.
- Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package directions. Drain, but do not rinse. Toss the pasta with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. The warm pasta will absorb the vinegar. Add ¼ cup of the dressing and toss with the pasta.
- Allow the pasta to cool, either at room temperature (tossing occasionally to speed up the process) or in the fridge.
- Add the edamame beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, feta, bell pepper, and salami. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and toss. Top with the thinly sliced fresh basil. Serve cold or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Notes
- Al Dente Pasta: Not all brands of pasta have an accurate cooking time for al dente. If you're unsure, always check the pasta 1-2 minutes before the package indicates al dente.
- White Vinegar: Tossing the pasta with vinegar while warm gives the dish an extra layer of flavor because the pasta absorbs the vinegar directly rather than the vinegar sitting on top of the pasta in the dressing.
- Fresh Basil: The fresh basil adds really great flavor to this dish and is not just a garnish. If you don't have any on hand, you can skip it, but I find that it really does add a lot, even with a small amount.
Nutrition
Calories: 730kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 1384mg | Potassium: 717mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1032IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 213mg | Iron: 3mg
