Refreshing Pasta Salad

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Craving something light, bright, and utterly delicious? Look no further! This Refreshing Pasta Salad is your perfect companion for picnics, BBQs, potlucks, or simply a quick, wholesome meal on a warm day. It's a vibrant symphony of colors and textures, all brought together with a zesty Italian dressing that will make your taste buds sing!
Imagine tender fusilli pasta tossed with bursting cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, sharp red onion, sweet grated carrot, and the fresh crunch of diced green bell pepper. The addition of golden sweet corn brings a delightful pop, while tender hearts of palm (Palmitto) add a unique, delicate texture and slightly sweet flavor. Finally, fresh, peppery arugula (Rucola) and a homemade, tangy Italian dressing tie everything together into a sensational dish that's both satisfying and incredibly refreshing. It's a medley of fresh ingredients that tastes like sunshine in a bowl!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 100 G Fussili Pasta
  • Water To boil the pasta
  • Salt To boil the pasta
  • 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes cut in half
  • ½ English Cucumber Diced
  • ½ Green Bell Pepper
  • 1 Small Red Onion Finely Chopped
  • 1 Small Carrot Grated
  • 1 Cup Sweet Corn
  • 1 Cup Palmitto
  • 2 Cups Arugula Rucola
  • Pinch White Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • Italian Dressing Check recipe notes

Equipment

  • 1 Bowl

Instructions
 

Cook the Pasta:
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
    Water, Salt
  2. Add the fusilli pasta (or your chosen pasta shape) and cook according to the package directions until it's perfectly al dente (firm to the bite).
    100 G Fussili Pasta
  3. Drain the pasta thoroughly.
Prepare the Vegetables:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, add the shredded carrot.
    1 Small Carrot
  2. Sprinkle the carrot with a pinch of white pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Mix well; the lemon juice helps prevent the carrot from discoloring and adds brightness.
    Pinch White Pepper, 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  3. Add the remaining prepared vegetables to the bowl: diced red onion, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, diced green bell pepper, sweet corn, sliced hearts of palm (palmitto), and the fresh arugula.
    1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, ½ English Cucumber, ½ Green Bell Pepper, 1 Small Red Onion, 1 Cup Sweet Corn, 1 Cup Palmitto, 2 Cups Arugula
Combine and Dress:
  1. Add the cooled, cooked pasta to the bowl with the prepared vegetables.
  2. Pour your Italian dressing generously over all the ingredients.
    Italian Dressing
  3. Toss everything together very well using large spoons or tongs, ensuring all the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated with the dressing.

Notes

  • For best flavor, cover the bowl and chill the pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving, allowing the flavors to meld.
  • Tip for Cold Pasta Salad: For a refreshing cold salad, you can quickly rinse the drained pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. If you do this, make sure to drain it very well to avoid excess water. Alternatively, you can toss the drained pasta with a teaspoon of olive oil and let it cool completely on a baking sheet to prevent sticking, which helps the dressing cling better.
  • For the dressing you can check our Homemade Italian dressing recipe

Serving suggestions:

Serve chilled as a refreshing side dish or a light main course. Enjoy! 

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