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The month of May is here and we turn our thoughts to Summer activities. Of course, when we think about the month of May and May activities, we immediately think of Mother’s Day. Are you having a Mother’s Day get together? Are you going to someone else’s house and you need to bring a dish to share? Are you just looking for a pasta salad recipe to make at home and share with your family? Do you want a pasta salad recipe to just make for yourself? Well, this is a recipe you will love! I must admit that I only really think about pasta salad in the warmer months. A whole bowl of pasta salad was just consumed in my house this past week. The whole bowl was gone in 2 days! It tasted so good! Do you know the feeling of not having something in a long time and then when you finally have it, it tastes even better than you remembered? That is what happened with me when I took my first bite of the pasta salad. I haven’t had any since last Summer. This isn’t the recipe I just made. I made a pasta salad with cavatappi noodles. Although, I must admit that I LOVE orzo pasta which the recipe I am going to share uses. I remember when I was growing up, my Mom always made pepper steak over orzo pasta. It was one of my favorites!
What makes a great pasta salad? First of all, the type of pasta you choose. There are so many different types of pasta. They vary from shape, size, and flavor. Have you ever tried spinach pasta? It is one of my favorites. You can get tri-colored pasta in one box which typically features spinach, tomato, and plain. Secondly, the vegetables you choose to put in your salad add texture and flavor. They add crunch and flavor. Cheese is another variant in pasta salad. Cheddar, Pepper Jack, mozzarella, feta, or plant based option are a few options. Lastly, the dressing. Whether it be Italian, Greek, vinaigrette, or a creamy option, this adds the moisture so you don’t end up with a dry pasta salad. You can always add extra dressing just before serving if your salad seems dry. The great thing about pasta salad is that you can customize it so many different ways that you never have to eat the same salad twice. Changing the vegetables, the pasta, the cheese, or the dressing changes up the whole salad dynamic! Try different variations to see what becomes your favorite!
I am Italian by heritage so I know my pasta! I love pasta and probably consume way too much of it! There are so many different types of pasta that it is very easy to change what type of pasta you can use in pasta salad. I know that I have had one type of pasta in mind that I want for my pasta salad and then I go to the supermarket and they are out of that pasta!!! UGH!!! But fortunately, there are so many types of pasta so it is very easy to just pick a different shape that will work. Aim for the same size noodle or if choosing a bigger noodle, make sure you take into account that will need more dressing/sauce for your recipe.
Don’t ask me what my favorite pasta shape is because I don’t think I can pick! I look at each of these pasta shapes and can think of different recipes where all these pastas are the star!!! I love Acini De Pepe in Italian Wedding Soup, I love ravioli period no matter what the filling, fettuccini with alfredo sauce, bucatini with a red sauce, and of course lasagna! I could go on and on……being Italian, I grew up with all kinds of pasta and pasta dishes! I love it all but back to pasta salad! All of the pasta dishes I just named are hot dishes. Obviously, pasta salad is a cold dish which tastes best when it’s refrigerated for several hours or even better overnight. You can add a little extra dressing before serving if you feel like the salad is a little dry. Always remember that you can switch out vegetables and seasonings to your liking. When it comes to pasta salad, variety is the spice of life! That’s what’s so great about pasta salad. You can switch up the ingredients so you aren’t eating the same thing over and over again. Use your imagination!
******If you are feeding a large crowd, you may choose to double the recipe!! *******
Ingredients:
For the salad:
8 ounces orzo pasta, cooked al dente according to package
1/2 English Cucumber, Diced 
1/2 cup Feta Cheese, Crumbled
1 – 15- ounce can garbanzo beans {chickpeas}, drained and rinsed
2 cups Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
1/2 Small Red Onion, diced {about 2/3 cup}
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
For the Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing:
1/3 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 Lemon, juiced
1 Teaspoon Honey
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
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In large mixing bowl combine the cucumber, feta cheese, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, red onion and gently stir to combine.
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In a mason jar or salad dressing container whisk together the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper and extra virgin oil.
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Add the orzo pasta to the vegetables and mix well. Pour half of the salad dressing over the salad and toss. Sprinkle the basil, mint and parsley over the salad and gently toss. (If making the salad ahead of serving, I recommend adding the herbs right before serving so they don’t become soggy.)
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If serving immediately add more dressing if you feel like the salad needs is dry. Otherwise, refrigerate the remaining half of the dressing and the salad. When ready to serve add the remaining dressing and toss.
You can always change up this recipe to your liking. Maybe you don’t care for onion but would like a different vegetable instead. Maybe instead of cucumber, you would prefer green peppers or tri-colored peppers. You can edit the seasonings and even use bottled salad dressing if you would like! I have to admit that I typically use bottled salad dressing. There are so many great dressings out there. I love the plant based, dairy free, or vegan dressings as well. I found a great Dairy Free & Vegan Greek salad dressing at Whole Foods last week. It was delicious! Here is a picture of it below. I highly recommend this as a Dairy Free/Vegan option!
I hope you enjoy this recipe and make it for any family gathering or special occasion. It is a great recipe to make for your meals at home as well. Remember you can always customize this recipe to compliment your tastes. Many different vegetables would work well in this salad and can replace anything you don’t like. Using a bottled dressing of your choosing is totally acceptable and a time saver! Pasta Salads are such a great treat! Enjoy!!!!!
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DO YOU LOVE SNOOPY AS MUCH AS I DO???? CHECK THIS OUT!!!!
Have you ever checked out the brand GRAPHIQUE??? LOTS OF PEANUTS/SNOOPY OPTIONS!!!!
