Healthy Pasta Salad

A pasta salad in serving bowl with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and fresh basil. There is a wooden serving spoon in the bowl.

3.91 from 61 votes

This healthy pasta salad is light, refreshing, and packed with flavor! It’s mayo-free and made with just 9 simple ingredients—it's the perfect side dish for summer.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: cups

Author: Brittany Mullins

Ingredients

8 oz penne or fusilli pasta
2 cups cherry tomatoes chopped
2 cups cucumbers peeled and chopped
¾ cup red onion chopped
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup fresh basil finely chopped
3 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon coconut sugar
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and run cold water over cooked pasta to cool.
Add drained pasta into a large bowl with tomatoes, cucumber, and onion.
Whisk together balsamic vinegar, basil, olive oil, coconut sugar, and salt.
Pour over salad ingredients and mix well. 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'll add feta or avocado for some creaminess or I'll change up the veggies based on what I have on hand. Feel free to get creative and make this your own.
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.

Nutrition