Pasta Salad

Name: Pasta Salad
Cuisine: European, Italian, Mediterranean
Ingredients: 16 OZ macaroni elbows; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar; 3 tablespoons dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon of minced garlic; 2 tablespoons pesto; 1 tablespoon salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; .5 cup olive oil; 1 red bell pepper chopped; 1 zucchini chopped finely; 1/2 onion diced; 4 Oz pepperoni sliced thinly; 1/4 lb cheddar cheese diced into very small squares; 1 can sliced olives, drained; 1 15 Oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained; Fresh Italian parsley, to garnish

5 steps

Updated at: Wed, 16 Aug 2023 21:07:36 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Unbalanced

Glycemic Index

Moderate

Glycemic Load

High

Nutrition per serving

Calories425.4 kcal (21%)

Total Fat28.5 g (41%)

Carbs33.1 g (13%)

Sugars2.8 g (3%)

Protein9.9 g (20%)

Sodium1053.2 mg (53%)

Fiber2.2 g (8%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Instructions

Step 1

Cook the macaroni as package instructs in salted water. Drain but do not rinse pasta. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.

Step 2

Mix the mayonnaise, dijon, vinegar, pesto, salt, pepper, sugar, garlic, oregano, and thyme. Use a submersion blender to blend the mixture while slowly adding 1/2 cup olive oil until the ingredients become emulsified. Stir into the cooked pasta while it's still warm. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the vegetables.

Step 3

Make sure the pasta has enough time to soak up the emulsification, at least 1/2 an hour.

Step 4

Chop the zucchini, bellpepper, onion, pepperoni and cheese. Open and drain the tomatoes and olives.

Step 5

Fold everything together. Garnish with chopped parsley and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.