This is easy, delicious, and great to make the night before. You can try it with gluten-free pasta, if you wish. Depending on the type and brand of pasta, it can turn out fabulous.
Ingredients
dried pasta of your choice - Bowtie pasta is my favorite for this. spaghetti or fettuccine don't work as well.
variety of fresh raw vegetables, chopped - Here are some ideas:
mayonnaise, start with 1 tablespoon and go from there
plain yogurt, start with 1 tablespoon and go from there
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
paprika
dried pasta of your choice - Bowtie pasta is my favorite for this. spaghetti or fettuccine don't work as well.
variety of fresh raw vegetables, chopped - Here are some ideas:
- carrots
- broccoli
- celery
- red bell peppers
- yellow summer squash, peeled if the skin is tough
- frozen green peas
mayonnaise, start with 1 tablespoon and go from there
plain yogurt, start with 1 tablespoon and go from there
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
paprika
Steps
- If using onion, chop and sauté in olive oil until translucent. Set aside to cool.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander. While draining, stir in the frozen green peas (if using). The hot pasta thaws them and softens them. Let pasta cool, just a bit. If you let it cool too much, it will stick together. Transfer pasta to a large bowl.
- Chop all vegetables, medium. Stir into pasta, along with cooked onions (if using).
- In a separate bowl, mix together: mayo, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. I don't use exact measurements - just stir until it's about the consistency of salad dressing or a bit thicker. I generally use more mayo than yogurt, but the yogurt makes me think it's more healthy.
- Gently fold the dressing into the pasta mixture. If it seems too dry, add a bit more. It will thicken when cool, so don't worry if it seems a little wet.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour and a half. Sprinkle top with paprika lightly before serving.