One-Pot Vegetable Pasta Salad with Ribbon-Style Veggies
This One-Pot Vegetable Pasta Salad with Ribbon-Style Veggies is a fresh, no-fuss recipe that’s perfect for warm days, busy weeknights, or effortless entertaining. It brings together the ease of a one-pot dish with the bright, crisp textures of seasonal vegetables; all tied together with a simple, vibrant dressing. Whether you're making it for a picnic, meal prep, or a casual family dinner, this pasta salad delivers on both flavor and convenience!
Servings: 4
Calories: 496kcal
Equipment
- Large Pot for cooking pasta
- Colander for draining and rinsing pasta
- Potato Peeler any vegetable peeler
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 12 oz (340 gm) pasta I used Mafalda Corta pasta
- 1 carrot peeled or scrubbed
- ½ English cucumber
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup pickled sweet peppers chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 cup mini bocconcini drained
For the dressing:
- ½ lemon juice of
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced or grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package instructions. For pasta salad, it’s best to cook it al dente.12 oz (340 gm) pasta
- While the pasta is cooking, use a vegetable peeler to create ribbons from the carrot and cucumber. Thinly slice the red onion, chop the pickled sweet peppers, and finely chop the dill.1 carrot, ½ English cucumber, ¼ red onion, ⅓ cup pickled sweet peppers, 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking. Place the pasta back into the pot.
- Add all of the dressing ingredients into the pot and stir well to coat the pasta. This helps the flavors absorb better.½ lemon, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Once the pasta is evenly coated, add the prepared vegetables, bocconcini, and chopped dill.1 cup mini bocconcini
- Stir everything thoroughly until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Notes
- Use al dente pasta. Slightly undercooked pasta holds its shape better in cold salads and absorbs the dressing without getting mushy.
- After draining the pasta, rinsing it under cool water helps cool it quickly and stops the cooking process. It also prevents sticking.
- Make sure to pat your veggies dry. This is especially important if your cucumbers or sweet peppers are watery, because too much moisture can dilute the flavor and dressing.
- Mixing the dressing into the slightly warm pasta helps it absorb flavor better.
- This salad keeps well in the fridge and is even more flavorful after a few hours as the ingredients meld together.
Nutrition
Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 355mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2801IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 2mg