Zesty Italian Pasta Bean Salad

Bursting with bold Mediterranean flavors, this Zesty Italian Pasta Bean Salad is a vibrant, hearty dish perfect for summer gatherings, weeknight dinners, or meal prep. Packed with tender rotini pasta, cannellini beans, kidney beans, and a rainbow of fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers, this salad offers a delightful mix of textures and flavors. A homemade zesty Italian dressing, featuring olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning, ties everything together beautifully. Topped with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley, this refreshing salad is both nutritious and satisfying. Quick to prepare in just 30 minutes, it’s ideal served chilled as a flavorful side dish or light main course. Keywords: Italian pasta salad, bean salad, zesty dressing, Mediterranean flavors, easy summer recipe.

Nutriscore Rating: 77/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 8 oz Rotini pasta
• 1.5 cups Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 large Cucumber, diced
• 1 medium Red bell pepper, diced
• 0.5 medium Red onion, finely chopped
• 0.5 cup Black olives, sliced
• 1 15 oz can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15 oz can Kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 0.25 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
• 0.25 cup Fresh parsley, chopped
• 0.5 cup Olive oil
• 0.25 cup Red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Cook the rotini pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package instructions, until al dente. Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, cannellini beans, and kidney beans.

Step 3

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.

Step 4

Add the cooked and cooled pasta to the vegetable and bean mixture in the large bowl.

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until the ingredients are evenly coated.

Step 6

Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley for added flavor.

Step 7

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 8

Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together before serving.

Step 9

Serve chilled or at room temperature as a side dish or light main course.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(2088.7g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	3055.8

Total Fat 146.8g	0%
Saturated Fat 26.3g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 10.6g
Cholesterol 20mg	0%
Sodium 4453.3mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 349.4g	0%
Dietary Fiber 61.4g	0%
Total Sugars 29.9g
Protein 92.1g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 892.4mg	0%
Iron 31.7mg	0%
Potassium 4811.7mg	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: 42.8%

Protein: 11.9%

Carbs: 45.3%