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Colorful pasta salad with vegetables and mozzarella cheese for a healthy meal.

Healthy Pasta Salad Recipe

This easy healthy pasta salad recipe combines cooked pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, sweet corn, peas, fresh cress, and light mini mozzarella with a simple creamy dressing. It is fresh, vegetarian, and perfect for lunch, meal prep, picnics, or barbecues.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Calories: 210kcal
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

For the pasta salad:

  • 2 cups cooked short pasta (140g dry pasta)
  • 1 cup light mini mozzarella balls (drained (125 g))
  • 1½ cups chopped tomatoes (3 medium)
  • ½ cups chopped bell pepper (about half of a medium bell pepper)
  • 1 cup diced cucumber (about one third of a large cucumber)
  • 2 tbsp canned sweet corn (drained)
  • 3 tbsp canned peas (drained)
  • 1 tbsp light Miracle Whip or another light mayonnaise style dressing
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ tsp herb salt (or to taste)
  • Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Optional:

  • Extra cress for serving
  • A small handful of arugula instead of cress

Method

  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
  2. Drain the pasta and leave it to cool completely. You can also rinse it briefly with cold water if you want to prepare the salad immediately.
  3. Drain the mini mozzarella, sweet corn, and peas well.
  4. Chop the tomatoes, bell pepper and cucumber into small bite sized pieces.
  5. Add the cooled pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, mozzarella, corn, and peas to a large mixing bowl.
  6. In a small bowl, mix the light Miracle Whip, herb salt, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar.
  7. Toss everything together until the dressing is evenly distributed.
  8. Taste the pasta salad and add more herb salt, pepper, or a little extra dressing if needed.
  9. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Colander
  • Cutting board
  • Large mixing bowl

Notes

  • Allow the pasta to cool before adding the vegetables and mozzarella. 
  • Short pasta shapes such as fusilli, farfalle, penne, or small macaroni work best.
  • The salad is only lightly coated. Add another teaspoon or tablespoon of light Miracle Whip if you prefer a creamier pasta salad.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The texture is best within the first 2 days.
  • This pasta salad is not suitable for freezing because the tomatoes and cucumber can become watery after thawing.
 
NUTRITION
 Approximate nutrition per serving (recipe is for 4 serving):
 Calories: 210 kcal
 Protein: 12 g
 Carbohydrates: 29 g
 Fat: 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates and depend on the pasta, mozzarella, and dressing brands used.