Healthy Whole-Grain Pasta Salad

Craving a wildly delicious yet guilt-free pasta salad? Look no further. A simple salad made with whole-grain pasta, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, arugula, mozzarella cheese, and walnuts, topped with a lovely yogurt dressing. Quickly prepared and super tasty!

Ingredients

To prepare this light pasta salad, you will only require a few simple everyday ingredients readily available at any grocery store: 

Here’s a few additional tips for selected ingredients:

• Whole-Grain Pasta: One of the benefits of consuming whole-grain pasta is that it contains lots of fiber, which helps keep you fuller for longer while also preventing a major spike in your blood sugar levels.

If you’re not necessarily a fan of whole-grain pasta’s taste and/or texture, feel free to use regular pasta or mix both 50/50.  

As far as the style goes, I’ve decided to go with farfalle. You may pick whichever pasta you enjoy the most. Penne and fusilli work great as well.

• English Seedless Cucumber: If you’d like to avoid the step of peeling, go with an organic cucumber. Otherwise, peel away. 😉

• Walnuts: Adding a nice crunch to our scrumptious salad. Using chopped nuts “as is” eliminates the need to further process them.

• Fresh Basil: There is deliberately no quantity given here. Just measure that herb with your heart. As a rough guide, we’re talking about a small handful of basil leaves (loosely bunched).

Preparation

In terms of preparation, this salad with a yogurt dressing is a touchdown. Super simple and easily done.

Step 1

Let’s get started on our pasta. Cook your whole-grain pasta as per package instructions.

If in doubt, simply bring salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook for approximately 12 minutes. Once done, drain using a strainer.

Step 2

While our Italian superstar, aka pasta, is boiling away, we might as well get a head start on our veggies.

Depending on its size, pluck the arugula into smaller pieces after thoroughly washing, cleaning, and allowing for it to dry. This will come in handy later when you are trying to avoid looking like a caveman shoveling food into your mouth. You’re welcome. 😉

After washing your cucumber, chop off both ends, cut it in half, then take each half and cut it lengthwise down the center again before slicing it thinly.

Grab your cherry tomatoes and wash them. Based on their size, either halve or quarter them.

Now, wash your bell pepper, cut it in half, remove the core, and scrape out any remaining seeds. Chop each half into smaller cubes or chunks.

Step 3

Next, peel your red onion, remove the top and bottom, cut it in half, and continue to slice it crosswise for pretty half-moon shapes. You may also cut into quarter-moon shapes by cutting each halved onion into quarters first before slicing them.

Another alternative would be to simply chop them into smaller chunks. Smaller pieces will generally provide better distribution of its intense flavor throughout the salad. Whichever option you pick, adding a red onion will be a most welcome feast for our eyes.

Remove the mozzarella cheese from its packaging and let it drain for a second. Proceed by chopping it into bite-sized chunks.

Step 4

Coarsely crumble the walnuts by hand or chop them up using a knife.

Give your fresh basil a good rinse, then cut or pluck it into pieces to your liking. You may want to set aside a few whole basil leaves for later use as decoration.

Step 5

Let’s get started on our lovely yogurt dressing.

In a small bowl, combine your Greek yogurt, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, and water. Generously season with salt and black pepper. Mix well using a fork or a little whisk. For a more intense flavor profile, add a crushed garlic clove to your dressing.

Step 6

Last, but not least, toss your cooled-off (slightly warm to the touch is fine as well) whole-grain pasta along with your other lovingly prepared ingredients into a large bowl.

Drizzle your yummy dressing over your dish and incorporate everything well. Give it a little quick taste to make sure it’s up to the chef’s standards. 😉

Add some more salt and pepper if deemed necessary.

Et voilà. All done. Easy-peasy, right? 😉

Recipe Variations

My healthy pasta salad recipe has been kept fairly simple by design. Here are a few ideas on how to “glam” it up a bit:

• Variable ingredients: It goes without saying that you may swap, add, or omit any of my ingredients (especially the vegetables). How about adding corn, peas, spinach, dried tomatoes, or olives…?

• Herbs and spices: Feel free to make this salad your own by adding other fresh or dried herbs (or spices) to your liking. Maybe oregano, thyme, chives….?

• Not crazy about the taste of onions, or simply too intense? Perhaps you can’t really stomach raw onions these days? Add spring onions instead.

• Roasted pine nuts instead of walnuts would be an amazing alternative as well.

• Another option would be to use Feta cheese instead of mozzarella.

Storage and Shelf Life

The healthy pasta salad can be safely stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, possibly a bit longer. But to be safe, I’d stick with the 2-day limitation.

You may devour this dish freshly made or prepared ahead of time to enjoy later. Perhaps whip it up midday for a barbecue in the evening?

Simply give it another quick taste test before serving and adjust if needed. In addition, if the salad has absorbed a lot of liquid, just add a bit more.

This recipe is intended to serve as an entrée or healthy main course, especially during the summer months.

As an alternative, you can serve it alongside meat, fish, or as a traditional side salad at your next barbecue.

More healthy salad recipes

Looking for similar simple and healthy salad recipes? Try these:

quick canned lentil salad

roasted brussels sprout salad

pickled beet and feta salad

cucumber avocado feta salad