Red White N Cheese Pasta Salad

Elevate your summer gatherings with this vibrant Red White N Cheese Pasta Salad, a delightful dish bursting with fresh flavors and colors! This crowd-pleasing recipe combines tender rotini pasta, juicy grape tomatoes, crunchy red bell peppers, and creamy mozzarella pearls, all tossed in a zesty homemade dressing made from olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, and garlic. Finished with fragrant fresh basil and a sprinkle of nutty parmesan cheese, this pasta salad delivers a medley of textures and flavors in every bite. Ready in just 30 minutes, it's a perfect make-ahead dish for picnics, barbecues, or light lunches. Serve it chilled or at room temperature, and watch it disappear from the table!

Nutriscore Rating: 67/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz rotini pasta
• 1.5 cups grape tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls
• 0.25 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves
• 0.25 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 0.75 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Cook the rotini pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool the pasta. Set aside.

Step 2

While the pasta cooks, halve the grape tomatoes and dice the red bell pepper into small pieces.

Step 3

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.

Step 4

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, grape tomatoes, red bell pepper, mozzarella pearls, and grated parmesan cheese.

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss well to coat all the ingredients evenly.

Step 6

Roughly chop the fresh basil leaves and gently fold them into the salad just before serving.

Step 7

Transfer the pasta salad to a serving bowl or platter. For an extra burst of flavor, sprinkle additional parmesan cheese on top if desired.

Step 8

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 hours to let the flavors meld before serving. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1045.4g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2586.5

Total Fat 111.5g	0%
Saturated Fat 38.4g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.3g
Cholesterol 147.1mg	0%
Sodium 2867.2mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 291.2g	0%
Dietary Fiber 17.5g	0%
Total Sugars 36.1g
Protein 96.8g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 1231.7mg	0%
Iron 14.5mg	0%
Potassium 1822.5mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 39.3%

Protein: 15.2%

Carbs: 45.6%