• Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Serves 6
  • Serving size: ⅙ of recipe
  • Print/save recipe

This quick and easy pasta salad recipe mixes frozen vegetables and prepared salad dressing with chopped onion and fresh basil for a nice balance of freshness and convenience. Chose a colorful frozen vegetable blend that appeals to you. Perfect for kids, it's a great addition to packed school or work lunches. This pasta salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days in an airtight container.

By Del Sroufe,

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces dried whole grain fusilli pasta
  • 1 16-ounce package frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1 cup snipped fresh basil
  • ½ cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 to 1½ cups fat-free Italian or balsamic salad dressing
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • In a large pot, cook the pasta according to package directions, adding frozen vegetables for the last 5 minutes of cooking; drain. Rinse cooked pasta with cold water; drain again.
  • Transfer pasta mixture to a large bowl. Stir in basil and onion. Drizzle with dressing, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Nutritional Information:

Per serving (⅙ of recipe): 415 calories, 61 g carbohydrates, 10 g protein, 14 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 623 mg sodium, 5.1 g fiber, 8.3 g sugar

Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.

Comments (5)

(5 from 1 vote)

Recipe Rating

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Joann

This recipe was so easy. I decided to change it a little. I used 6 oz. of pasta and replaced it with 2 cans of black-eyed peas. I made a simple Italian dressing recipe that was creamy because it had some tahini in it. Also, one cup of the salad dressing was plenty.

Peggy Barr

I will make some of the pasta salads soon!

Stacey

Can you recommend a specific dressing to use?

Megan Edwards

Hi Stacey, We have a few tasty dressing recipes of our own that you could try out! For this recipe, we recommend using either the <a href="https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-sauces-condiments/oil-free-balsamic-dressing/">2-Minute Oil-Free Balsamic Dressing</a> or the <a href="https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-sauces-condiments/vegan-creamy-italian-dressing/">Vegan Creamy Italian Dressing</a>. Let us know how it goes!

Trinity Holston

This recipe is fantastic. It has many components that make it simple and tasty. It takes little time to make, and the ingredients needed didn't cost me a lot. I had most of them in my pantry, so it was a quick trip for the fusilli and sea salt. I would recommend this to all my friends and definitely use it again.

About the Author

Headshot of Def Sroufe

About the Author

Del Sroufe

Chef Del Sroufe is co-owner and executive chef of Wellness Forum Foods, a whole-food, plant-based meal delivery and catering service in Columbus, Ohio. He is the author of Forks Over Knives - The Cookbook and Better Than Vegan. Del teaches cooking classes and helps people transition to a healthy plant-based diet.
See More from this Author

Join our mailing list

Get free recipes and the latest info on living a happy, healthy plant-based lifestyle.

By providing your email address, you consent to receive newsletter emails from Forks Over Knives. We value your privacy and will keep your email address safe. You may unsubscribe from our emails at any time.