Leasa’s Italian Pasta Salad

May 09, 2023May 9, 20230 3

Leasa's Italian Pasta Salad is a healthy and tasty dish perfect for a summer meal or a potluck party

by The Chefin Salad

Prep

15 min

Cook

10 min

Ready In

25 min

Level

Very easy

Rating

Ingredients

Nutrision Information

Servings Per Recipe

Calories

256

Sugar

Fat

Leasa's Italian Pasta Salad is a classic and easy-to-make dish that's perfect for a summer meal or a potluck party. This recipe uses whole wheat pasta, which adds fiber and nutrients to the dish without sacrificing taste. Vegetables like cucumber and green pepper give the salad a refreshing crunch, while canned ingredients such as olives, hearts of palm, and diced tomatoes provide flavor and texture. Shredded parmesan cheese brings a touch of tanginess, while light Italian dressing is used to tie everything together. Refrigerating the pasta salad is an important step as it allows the flavors to meld together and intensify. This dish can be customized to your liking by adding more vegetables or even some protein like grilled chicken or tofu. Overall, Leasa's Italian Pasta Salad is a healthy and tasty option that's sure to impress your guests!

Instructions

1.	Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2.	Rinse the cooked pasta with cold water and drain.
3.	Cut the cucumber and green pepper into bite-sized pieces.
4.	In a large bowl, mix the pasta, cucumber, green pepper, olives, hearts of palm, diced tomatoes, and shredded parmesan cheese.
5.	Pour the Italian dressing over the pasta salad and toss everything together.
6.	Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

PROS

This pasta salad is packed full of nutritious vegetables and whole wheat pasta.

It’s a great way to increase your daily intake of fiber and vitamins.

The Italian dressing adds flavor to the dish without being too heavy on the calories.

CONS

This dish does contain a fair amount of sodium due to the canned vegetable ingredients.

Also, the shredded parmesan cheese can be high in fat if not used in moderation.

HEALTH & BENEFITS

This pasta salad is a great source of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Whole wheat pasta is a healthier option compared to traditional white pasta as it contains more nutrients and has a slower impact on blood sugar levels.
The vegetables used in this recipe are also full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

	0.75 box whole wheat rotini
	1 can black olives , pre sliced , drained
	0.5 can hearts of palm , pre-cut , drained
	0.5 can diced tomatoes , drained
	1/2 cucumber
	1/2 small green pepper
	1/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
	1 cup light Italian dressing