Description
This Pasta Salad with Basil is a bright, refreshing, and flavorful dish perfect for summer meals. Featuring crisp vegetables, fragrant fresh basil, plant-based feta cheese, and a light, tangy apple cider vinegar dressing, it blends textures and colors beautifully. Easy to prepare in about 30 minutes, this versatile salad is ideal for picnics, potlucks, or casual gatherings, loved by kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 250g fusilli or penne pasta
Vegetables and Herbs
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
Cheese
- 100g plant-based feta cheese, crumbled
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (natural)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (natural)
- 1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Start by boiling your chosen pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta quickly, which helps keep the pieces separate and salad-ready.
- Prepare the Vegetables and Herbs: While the pasta cooks, wash and chop your cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red bell peppers into bite-sized pieces. Roughly chop the fresh basil leaves to release their aroma without crushing them into a paste.
- Mix the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar (natural), olive oil, minced garlic (natural), vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural), salt, and pepper until well combined. This dressing adds a bright, tangy layer of flavor that complements every ingredient.
- Combine All Ingredients: In a large salad bowl, gently toss the cooled pasta with all the chopped vegetables, black olives, basil, and plant-based feta cheese. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss lightly until each bite gets a little taste of the dressing.
- Chill and Serve: For best results, cover the pasta salad and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend beautifully. Give it a final toss before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the pasta is cooked al dente to avoid mushiness in the salad.
- Chop vegetables uniformly for balanced bites and visual appeal.
- Adjust vinegar and olive oil proportions according to your preferred tanginess and richness.
- Add basil just before serving to keep its bright color and fragrance.
- Chilling the salad helps flavors meld and improves taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: No baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: pasta salad, basil, summer salad, vegan pasta salad, fresh herbs, apple cider vinegar dressing
