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Bowl of clean eating penne pasta salad mixed with basil, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and red onion. Next to the bowl are fresh basil leaves and a wooden mixing spoon.
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3.91 from 61 votes

Healthy Pasta Salad

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!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: healthy pasta salad
Servings: 6 cups

Ingredients

  • 8 oz macaroni or penne pasta I used gluten-free penne
  • 2 cups tomatoes chopped
  • 2 cups cucumbers peeled and chopped
  • 3/4 cup red onion chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons basil minced
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea 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 Dressingwhite balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette.

Nutrition

Serving: 3/4 cup | Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g