This lightened-up pasta salad is made with cucumbers, tomatoes and a basil balsamic dressing. It’s mayo-free, gluten-free and vegan but still super delicious!
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you because I know that you are going to LOVE this healthy version of the pasta salad my mom used to make every summer.
Swapping Mayo for a Balsamic Dressing
My mom’s traditional recipe calls for Miracle Whip… which isn’t exactly EBF friendly so I skipped it and used an olive oil-based balsamic dressing with fresh basil. Other than that the salad ingredients are all the same.
And Mom will be happy to know that I left the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in the recipe. Maybe it’s just nostalgia, but I think it really does add a little something to the salad. I went with coconut sugar to keep things more natural and unrefined. 🙂
Ingredients in Healthy Pasta Salad
Overall, this healthy pasta salad is quite a gem. It’s not only easy to prepare, but it requires only minimal ingredients and tastes so fresh and delicious. The recipe makes a ton so it’s also great for serving a crowd!
gluten-free pasta noodles – I recommend using legume or quinoa-based pasta noodles so they’ll be naturally gluten-free and have a good amount of protein and fiber. Nutrient-dense pasta = so awesome!
tomatoes – these little guys add such great flavor to the salad.
cucumbers and red onion – for some added crunch.
balsamic dressing – a super simple dressing made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, coconut sugar, crushed red pepper, sea salt.
Notes & Substitutions
Mix-ins – Feel free to switch up your mix-ins for this pasta salad… I often do! Sometimes I change up the veggies based on what I have on hand. Feel free to get creative and make this your own!
Red onion – Not a fan of red onion feel free to use yellow onion instead.
Feta – Adding feta to this pasta salad would be a great addition if you don’t need it to be dairy free.
Avocado – Want to add a little creaminess and healthy fats to your pasta salad? Add in some chopped avocado!
I love that this salad pairs well with just about any protein. It’s delicious served with my grilled apple cider vinegar chicken. I think the flavors go really well together. It’s also a perfect side for cookouts and potlucks.
To make it in advance: You can prep the salad the night before and let it chill in the fridge until serving.
To store leftovers: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
This lightened-up pasta salad is made with cucumbers, tomatoes and a basil balsamic dressing. It's mayo-free, gluten-free and vegan but still super delicious!
8ozmacaroni or penne pasta, I used gluten-free penne
2cupstomatoes, chopped
2cupscucumbers, peeled and chopped
3/4cupred onion, chopped
3Tablespoonsbalsamic vinegar
2Tablespoonsbasil, minced
2Tablespoonsolive oil
1/2teaspooncoconut sugar
1/4teaspooncrushed red pepper
1 1/2teaspoonssea salt
Instructions
Prep pasta: Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and run cold water over cooked pasta to cool.
Mix ingredients: Add drained pasta into a large bowl with tomatoes, cucumber, and onion.
Make dressing: Whisk together balsamic vinegar, basil, olive oil, coconut sugar, crushed red pepper and salt. Pour over salad ingredients and mix well.
Serve: Refrigerate until cold. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Mix-ins – Feel free to switch up your mix-ins for this pasta salad… I often do! Sometimes I change up the veggies based on what I have on hand. Feel free to get creative and make this your own!Red onion – Not a fan of red onion feel free to use yellow onion instead.Feta – Adding feta to this pasta salad would be a great addition if you don’t need it to be dairy free.Avocado – Want to add a little creaminess and healthy fats to your pasta salad? Add in some chopped avocado!Dressing – I love the balsamic dressing paired with this salad but any dressing would work if you’re in a pinch. Some options: Greek Salad Dressing, white balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette.
I’m going to have to keep this in mind. I love salad and prefer the grape tomatoes rather than one large slice. I think I”ll make the exception for the cucumbers. It’ll taste good with the vinegar.
I love pasta salad and I was looking for healthy recipes so I thought I would give this recipe a shot. However, I did not like it at all, I think it was the balsamic vinegar that gave such a strong taste that I did not find appealing.
So sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe, Lynsey. If you try it again, you can definitely use less balsamic vinegar and more olive oil if you’re not a fan of the balsamic taste.
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Was delicious
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Anne! Thanks for the review 🙂
salad it’s really yummy I tried at home, I added extra mushroom taste is different.
I’m going to have to keep this in mind. I love salad and prefer the grape tomatoes rather than one large slice. I think I”ll make the exception for the cucumbers. It’ll taste good with the vinegar.
I love pasta salad and I was looking for healthy recipes so I thought I would give this recipe a shot. However, I did not like it at all, I think it was the balsamic vinegar that gave such a strong taste that I did not find appealing.
So sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe, Lynsey. If you try it again, you can definitely use less balsamic vinegar and more olive oil if you’re not a fan of the balsamic taste.
looks delicious, I will definitely try to cook