Healthy Pasta Salad

3.91 86 Published May 17, 2019, Updated Jun 29, 2024

Swapping Mayo for a Balsamic Dressing

My mom’s traditional recipe calls for Miracle Whip… which isn’t exactly EBF friendly so I skipped it and used an olive oil-based balsamic dressing with fresh basil. Other than that the salad ingredients are all the same. And Mom will be happy to know that I left the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in the recipe. Maybe it’s just nostalgia, but I think it really does add a little something to the salad. I went with coconut sugar to keep things more natural and unrefined. 🙂

Ingredients in Healthy Pasta Salad

Overall, this healthy pasta salad is quite a gem. It’s not only easy to prepare, but it requires only minimal ingredients and tastes so fresh and delicious. The recipe makes a ton so it’s also great for serving a crowd!

gluten-free pasta noodles – I recommend using legume or quinoa-based pasta noodles so they’ll be naturally gluten-free and have a good amount of protein and fiber. Nutrient-dense pasta = so awesome! tomatoes – these little guys add such great flavor to the salad. cucumbers and red onion – for some added crunch. balsamic dressing – a super simple dressing made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, coconut sugar, crushed red pepper, sea salt.

Notes & Substitutions

Mix-ins – Feel free to switch up your mix-ins for this pasta salad… I often do! Sometimes I change up the veggies based on what I have on hand. Feel free to get creative and make this your own! Red onion – Not a fan of red onion feel free to use yellow onion instead. Feta – Adding feta to this pasta salad would be a great addition if you don’t need it to be dairy free. Avocado – Want to add a little creaminess and healthy fats to your pasta salad? Add in some chopped avocado! Dressing – I love the balsamic dressing paired with this salad but any dressing would work if you’re in a pinch. Some options: Greek Salad Dressing, white balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette.

Serving and Storing Pasta Salad

I love that this salad pairs well with just about any protein. It’s delicious served with my grilled apple cider vinegar chicken. I think the flavors go really well together. It’s also a perfect side for cookouts and potlucks. To make it in advance: You can prep the salad the night before and let it chill in the fridge until serving. To store leftovers: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.