The Pasta Shoppe

Delicious pasta recipes and fun pasta ideas

  • About
  • Pasta FAQ’s
  • Recipes
    • Healthy or Gluten Free
    • Holiday Entertaining
    • Lasagna & Casseroles
    • Mac ‘n Cheese Please!
    • Meat & Poultry
    • Misc. Fun!
    • Pasta Salads
    • Pesto & Sauces
    • Seafood Lovers
    • Tips & Gadgets
    • Veggie Delish
  • Fundraising
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
Home / Blog / Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing

Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing

June 26, 2018 by carey 7 Comments

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing | A light but flavorful dish featuring diced veggies and delicious pasta! Great with grilled meats or BBQ | WorldofPastabilities.com

I LOVE Pasta Salads!  Nothing is better in the heat of summer than a great pasta side.  Pasta salads showcase some of our best seasonal produce and when chilled, satisfy everyone on a hot summer night. I want to share with you all some of my favorite salads (maybe next week)…but for now this new one has my FULL attention!

Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing | A light but flavorful dish featuring diced veggies and delicious pasta! Great with grilled meats or BBQ | WorldofPastabilities.com

Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing…my latest “light” go-to pasta. Now who doesn’t love that feeling? – Fresh & Light!  Most pasta salads are either a mayonnaise base, Greek yogurt, or a vinaigrette…and I have great recipes for all on the blog.  This Veggie Pasta Salad though has a super light dressing made with low sodium chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, and just a little oil.  Sounds kinda bland…but not when you add some unusual “kick it up” spices:  cumin, coriander, dry mustard, red pepper flakes.  I mean have you ever heard of such a dressing? The lemon and spices are keys to making this dressing work.

Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing | A light but flavorful dish featuring diced veggies and delicious pasta! Great with grilled meats or BBQ | WorldofPastabilities.com

Now, it’s almost the 4th of July, and also my hubby’s birthday.:)  So needless to say, we are having another annual gathering with a lot of grilled meats, so this Veggie Pasta Salad will be a great addition to the potluck.

Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing | A light but flavorful dish featuring diced veggies and delicious pasta! Great with grilled meats or BBQ | WorldofPastabilities.com

Keeping in the spirit, I’m using the American Pride Pasta (stars and flags).  I decided to chop all the veggies in a small dice.  My rule of thumb is usually to dice the vegetables about the same size as the cooked pasta.  You want to showcase the cute pasta shapes and not overwhelm the dish with large chunks of vegetables.  But for a larger shapes, like our Zucchette Pumpkin Pasta, I’d definitely go with a larger chop.

Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing | A light but flavorful dish featuring diced veggies and delicious pasta! Great with grilled meats or BBQ | WorldofPastabilities.com

Plus the small consistent size of the veggies makes the texture and crunch of the dish wonderful in “mouth feel”. (That term is what a lot of us “pasta nerds” use when talking about texture and pasta ?)  I first realized how much I liked small diced veggies in a salad back when Oprah had her first restaurant in Chicago.  She served it with some goat cheese and a lemon vinaigrette.  My Mom and I have recreated this recipe with many versions over the years…and this is just another good one but with pasta added! Now that I’m writing this, topping with some goat cheese would taste great…..yum.  Think I’ll add that to the recipe notes!

Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing | A light but flavorful dish featuring diced veggies and delicious pasta! Great with grilled meats or BBQ | WorldofPastabilities.com

So this holiday weekend, you have many choices for great pasta salads to enjoy!  In the past with our American Pride Pasta, I’ve featured Supreme Pizza Pasta Salad, Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta, and our famous BLT Pasta Salad.  So add this one to your Patriotic celebrations, or anytime you are ready to lighten things up!  Wishing you all a Happy and Safe 4th!  And THANK YOU to all of our active military and Veterans!

Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing | A light but flavorful dish featuring diced veggies and delicious pasta! Great with grilled meats or BBQ | WorldofPastabilities.com

Print

Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing

Fresh & Light Veggie Pasta Salad with Spicy Lemon Dressing | A light but flavorful dish featuring diced veggies and delicious pasta! Great with grilled meats or BBQ | WorldofPastabilities.com

★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

When the occasion calls for something light and refreshing on the side, this Veggie Pasta Salad will do the trick!  The dressing has just enough kick to keep your attention.  Serve along grilled meats or as a side at any BBQ!

  • Author: Carey | World of Pastabilities

Ingredients

Scale

14 oz. Bag of American Pride Pasta (or any other short shape)

Dice the following fresh vegetables in to small pieces:

½ English cucumber

½ red pepper, ½ yellow pepper & ½ green pepper

½ small yellow squash

½ small zucchini

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced (I used about 6 Campari tomatoes)

Dressing:

2/3 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

½ cup fresh lemon juice (approx. 3 lemons)

4 T. lemon zest

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 t. sugar

2 t. paprika

2 t. kosher salt

½ t of each: dry mustard, ground coriander, ground cumin, and red pepper flakes, or Aleppo pepper

Instructions

Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined.  Adjust salt and spiciness if necessary.

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse with cold water.

Gently toss pasta, all veggies, and dressing in a large bowl.

Top with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately!

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @worldofpastabilities on Instagram and hashtag it #worldofpastabilities


Enter your name and email and get weekly recipes in your inbox... it's FREE!
Let's be Pasta Recipe Pals!
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print

Related Recipes

  • Light and Herby Mediterranean Pasta Salad | Lemon, Feta, and Fresh Chopped Herbs make this a light and delicious side dish! A tangy vinaigrette dressing ties it all together...yum! Great with any grilled meats or seafood! | WorldofPastabilities.com
    Light and Herby Mediterranean Pasta Salad

    Are you thinking about what to bring to your Labor Day cookout?  You know ribs,…

  • Blue Cheese Pasta Salad | Your favorite blue cheese veggies like cherry tomatoes and crunchy broccoli with toasted almonds and avocado! All tossed in a yummy blue cheese vinaigrette. Substitute feta for a lighter taste. Yum! | WorldofPastabilities.com
    Blue Cheese Pasta Salad

    Which side of the “blue cheese” court do you fall on?  Blue cheese definitely has…

  • Tzatziki Pasta Salad | Cool and tangy Tzatziki Pasta Salad is the perfect side for a hot summer night! Artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and crunchy cucumbers add just the right Greek flavors. Yum! Serve with grilled meats or chicken! Enjoy! | WorldofPastabilities.com
    Tzatziki Pasta Salad

    One of my favorite things about Greek food is the Tzatziki sauce.  (not so easy…

Filed Under: Blog, Healthy or Gluten Free, Pasta Salads, Veggie Delish

« Margherita Pasta with Chicken
Pretty Zucchini Lasagna »

Comments

  1. Kathy says

    June 27, 2018 at 8:42 am

    Looks so light and perfect for Summer!

    Reply
  2. Mayank Tomar says

    July 16, 2018 at 7:57 am

    I always read your blogs because it offers the best details about my favourite food i.e. pasta. I must say I really love the way you explain every detail about pasta.
    Visit – Gustorafoods.com

    Reply
    • carey says

      July 16, 2018 at 9:42 am

      Thanks so much!

      Reply
  3. Maddy M says

    October 19, 2018 at 2:03 pm

    This recipe is so fresh and tasty!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Presley says

    October 20, 2018 at 11:32 am

    Delicious and light!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Presley says

    October 20, 2018 at 11:33 am

    Delicious, and I love a little spice!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  6. Michelle T says

    January 4, 2019 at 6:14 pm

    That lemon dressing is delicious!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You have to agree to the comment policy.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Sign Up for Free Recipes!

Join our email list for fresh pasta recipes delivered to you every week!

Video

Featured Products

  • Organic Dinosaur Mac and Cheese with dino pasta shapes

    Pastabilities® Organic Dinosaur Mac ‘n Cheese

    $4.99
    Add to cart
  • Tailgate and Celebrate Pasta Bag with pasta pieces

    Tailgate and Celebrate® Pasta

    $5.50
    Add to cart
  • Halloween Pasta Bag with pasta pieces

    Halloween Pasta

    $5.50
    Add to cart
See More Products ›

Featured Recipes

Vegan Alfredo

Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo

Pasta with Spicy Sausage and Tomato Cream Sauce with Pasta Bag

Pasta with Spicy Sausage and Tomato Cream Sauce

Collage of 5 Heart Recipes to Make and Share

5 Heart Recipes to Make and Share

Greek Pasta Bowl tight shot with diced cucumbers

Greek Pasta Bowl with Tuna & Chickpeas

Pasta Shoppe Advertisment

Browse

  • Pasta Salads
  • Pesto & Sauces
  • Seafood Lovers
  • Veggie Delish
  • Healthy or Gluten Free
  • Lasagna & Casseroles
  • Holiday Entertaining
  • Meat & Poultry
  • Misc. Fun!

Archives

Fun Pasta Fundraising

Let’s Keep In Touch!

Join our email list for a first look at new products, sales, recipes, and exclusive offers!

Stay Connected

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Explore

  • Home
  • Our Story
  • Recipes
  • Our Guarantee
  • Shipping
  • Nutritional & Kosher
  • Wholesale
  • Fundraising
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

Shop

  • Pastabilities® Fun Shapes
  • Pastabilities® Everyday Gourmet
  • Holidays
  • Great Gifts

The Pasta Shoppe

We are a "boutique" pasta manufacturer of fun shapes, healthy grains, and organic pasta. Look around & you'll find lots of innovative and delicious goodies to enjoy...and delicious pasta recipes too! The World is Full of Pastabilities!

© 2021 The Pasta Shoppe LLC. All Rights Reserved.

© 2021 The Pasta Shoppe. All rights reserved. Web design by Shay Bocks

Enter your name and email and get weekly recipes in your inbox... it's FREE!
Let's be Pasta Recipe Pals!
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.