Easy Vegetable Pasta Salad

When summer rolls around, there's nothing I love better than a pasta salad, especially when it's loaded with fresh veggies! This healthy Pasta Salad makes a fantastic meal prep dish and is also a hit at pool parties, family dinners, and backyard barbecues.

For the perfect summer barbecue, I like to serve this dish alongside my Grilled Chicken or Grilled Pork Chops along witha grilled veggie like this Garlic Grilled Eggplant or Grilled Cauliflower. It's perfect for making in bulk, so you can serve it up for healthy lunches all week long!

What You'll Need to Make a Healthier Pasta Salad

To bring this simple dish to life, you will need the following key ingredients:

• Whole wheat pasta: I like to use a medium-sized pasta shape for this recipe, like small penne or fusilli. You could swap in any type of pasta you like, including alternative pastas like those made with chickpeas or lentils.
• Veggies: You will need cherry tomatoes, broccoli, yellow or orange bell peppers, Persian cucumbers, and chickpeas. This recipe works with pretty much any veggies you like or have on hand, so feel free to swap in your favorites.
• Herbs: We use fresh basil and fresh parsley to brighten up the rest of our ingredients and add a ton of delicious flavor. Cilantro, dill, and chives are also delicious.
• Feta cheese: I love the tangy flavor that feta brings to this dish! If you aren't a fan, you can sub this out for goat cheese or mozzarella cheese.
• Lemon juice: The acidity in this ingredient brightens up all the flavors in our pasta salad. You can swap it with red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or balsamic vinegar if you like!
• Italian seasoning: This is my go-to spice mix to add to my salad dressing. It adds the perfect burst of savory flavors while complementing our fresh ingredients.

Can I use store-bought dressing for pasta salad?

Of course. While I like making my own because it's easier and more cost-efficient, you can use any store-bought Italian dressing that you like.

Recipe Variations

Here are some of my favorite ways to change up this dish:

• Add a protein: Try bulking up this dish by adding your favorite protein source, like grilled chicken, steak, or shrimp.
• Add a green base: To lighten up this dish even further, try reducing the amount of pasta and making the base a combination of pasta and greens like arugula or chopped spinach.
• Switch up the spices: Looking for a different flavor profile? Leave out the Italian seasoning and swap it for your favorite combination of spices. You can also change up the herbs to complement the spices you choose.
• Grill your veggies: For a fun twist and a deeper depth of flavor, try grilling your tomatoes, broccoli, and bell peppers. Make sure to let them cool down before adding them to your pasta salad. Or you can make this Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad!
• Add onions: Chop up some red onion to add a bit of bite to the salad.
• Make it vegan: You can easily make this dish vegan by swapping out the feta cheese for your favorite vegan alternative or by leaving out the cheese altogether.
• Change up the cheese: If you want to swap out the feta cheese, try using goat cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, or a shredded Italian blend of cheeses instead.
• Make it creamy: If you prefer a creamy salad dressing, simply swap in yogurt or mayonnaise for the olive oil in the recipe. This will make a delicious creamy dressing that works great with the pasta salad. You could also try this creamy Greek dressing.

Make Ahead Tips

Looking to make this dish ahead of time? Here are some of my top tips:

• Dressing: You can make the dressing up to a week in advance. Once you've mixed the ingredients, store the salad dressing in a jar or glass bottle in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
• Pasta: The pasta salad can be prepared anywhere from a few hours ahead of time to the night before. This comes especially in handy if you're planning an event and want to limit your prep time on the day of.
• Veggies: The vegetables and chickpeas can be prepped up to 12 hours in advance and stored in separate containers in the fridge until you're ready to throw the dish together.
• Herbs: Save some of the fresh herbs and a lemon wedge for the garnish. It makes the pasta salad extra beautiful when you're ready to serve it.

Best Ways to Serve Veggie Pasta Salad

Here are some easy dishes to pair with your pasta salad:

• Protein: Because this dish covers our bases on starch and veggies, I always like to pair it with a nice protein. Hamburgers, hot dogs, steak, grilled chicken, and shrimp all make great protein dishes to pair with pasta salad.
• Veggie sides: You can also add grilled vegetables like grilled corn, grilled eggplant, and grilled zucchini.
• Sandwiches: Make a deli special and pair your veggie pasta salad with a Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese or Healthy Tuna Melt! Or, load up some burger buns with Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken and add the veggie pasta salad as a side.

How to Store Vegetable Pasta Salad

Here is the best way to store pasta salad so it stays fresh:

• Storage: The best way to store pasta salad is by transferring it to an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator for up to one week. I don't recommend freezing it as the pasta tends to get mushy.
• Leftovers: Turn leftover veggie pasta salad into a cheesy pasta bake. Just mix it with a handful of shredded cheese and your choice of cooked protein, like chicken, sausage, or beans. Spread it in a baking dish, top with more cheese, and bake at 375°F for about 20–25 minutes until it's hot and bubbly. If it seems dry, stir in a little broth, cream, or tomato sauce before baking.