Cucumber Pepper Pasta Salad
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When the summer sun is shining and the BBQ grill is sizzling, there’s nothing better than a refreshing, colorful side dish to complement your favorite grilled meats.
My cucumber and pepper pasta salad is a vibrant, easy-to-make dish that pairs wonderfully with chicken, ribs, hamburgers, and more.
This unique pasta salad, bursting with fresh cucumbers, colorful bell peppers, and spiral pasta, is perfect for any summer gathering. Let’s dive into this delicious, summer friendly recipe!
- Please check that one out if you want to skip the pasta and just eat a delicious, fresh lunch salad or try one of our other favorite cucumber-based salad recipes.
Pasta Salad Ingredients
This is how we make our salad. You can easily double that amount of vegetables in this salad if preferred.
- 3 mini cucumbers, sliced thin
- 2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 2/3 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
- 12 ounces farfalle pasta, cooked and rinsed with cold water
- 3/4 cup ginger vinaigrette dressing (measured; you may need more before serving)
- 3 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning, plus a little extra for topping
How to make Cucumber Pepper Pasta Salad
Cook the Pasta: Begin by cooking the farfalle pasta according to the package instructions. Once cooked, rinse the pasta with cold water to cool it completely. This helps stop the cooking process and prevents the pasta from becoming mushy.
Prepare the Vegetables: While the pasta is cooling, slice the mini cucumbers thinly and chop the red and yellow bell peppers. Combine these vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the vegetables
Dress the Salad: Drizzle the ginger vinaigrette dressing over everything. Toss everything gently to ensure an even coating of the dressing over the pasta and vegetables. I recommend starting with 3/4 cup, and you can always add more before serving if needed. The pasta tends to soak up the dressing, so don’t be shy about adding a bit extra if it looks dry later.
Season: Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning into the mixture. Stir well to distribute the seasoning evenly throughout the salad.
Adjust the seasoning to taste, adding more if you like a stronger flavor.
Serve or Store: This salad can be served immediately, showcasing its fresh flavors. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate the salad until you’re ready to serve it.
If serving later, give the salad a good stir to redistribute the dressing and seasoning.
Tips and Tricks
- Should you let the pasta cool before making pasta salad? Yes, cooling the pasta helps prevent it from becoming mushy and allows the dressing to adhere better to the pasta.
- What should you serve with this dish? Pair this pasta salad with some quick cucumber appetizers for a perfect BBQ side dish spread.
- Can pasta salad sit out? It’s best to keep pasta salad chilled. If it sits out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if it’s above 90°F), it should be refrigerated to avoid spoilage. One trick I use is to sit pasta bowl in a second bowl filled with ice.
Here are a few of are other popular salads for a picnic.
Cucumber Pepper Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 3 mini cucumbers sliced thin
- 2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 2/3 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
- 12 ounces farfalle pasta cooked and rinsed with cold water
- 3/4 cup ginger vinaigrette dressing measured; you may need more before serving
- 3 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning plus a little extra for topping
Instructions
- Begin by cooking the farfalle pasta according to the package instructions. Once cooked, rinse the pasta with cold water to cool it completely. This helps stop the cooking process and prevents the pasta from becoming mushy.
- While the pasta is cooling, slice the mini cucumbers thinly and chop the red and yellow bell peppers. Combine these vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the vegetables.
- Drizzle the ginger vinaigrette dressing over the vegetables. Start with 3/4 cup, and you can always add more before serving if needed. The pasta tends to soak up the dressing, so don’t be shy about adding a bit extra if it looks dry later.
- Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning into the mixture. Stir well to distribute the seasoning evenly throughout the salad. Adjust the seasoning to taste, adding more if you like a stronger flavor.
- This salad can be served immediately. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate the salad until you’re ready to serve. If serving later, give the salad a good stir to redistribute the dressing and seasoning. Keep salad cold.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
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