Tangy Crisp Vegetable and Pasta Salad

Name: Tangy Crisp Vegetable and Pasta Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1/2 cup pasta (such as bowties, shells, or macaroni); 1/4 cup vinegar; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped; 1/2 medium carrot, thinly sliced; 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced (or green or yellow); 1/2 cup broccoli florets, coarsely chopped; 2 tablespoons sliced onion (green or red); 1 tablespoon dried parsley (or 3 tablespoons fresh if available)

Recipe GLPR6d7726cbd0412d

Salad

32 min

57 cal

Servings: 6

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

A refreshing cold pasta salad with a bright vinegar dressing and a medley of crisp, colorful vegetables. The flavors meld together beautifully when chilled overnight, creating a perfect side dish or light meal that's both tangy and satisfying.

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Ingredients

1/2 cup pasta (such as bowties, shells, or macaroni)

1/4 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped

1/2 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced (or green or yellow)

1/2 cup broccoli florets, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons sliced onion (green or red)

1 tablespoon dried parsley (or 3 tablespoons fresh if available)

Directions

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting any salt from the cooking water.
Drain the cooked pasta in a colander, then rinse with cool water and drain again thoroughly.
In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Do not allow the mixture to come to a boil.
Remove the dressing from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
While the dressing cools, rinse and prepare the vegetables: peel and seed the cucumber, then chop it coarsely; slice the carrot thinly; slice the bell pepper; coarsely chop the broccoli florets; and thinly slice the onion.
Transfer the prepared vegetables and cooled pasta to a shallow container.
Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the pasta and vegetables.
Gently toss all ingredients together until evenly coated with the dressing.
Cover the container and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours) to allow the flavors to blend and develop.
Before serving, top the salad with the dried parsley and serve cold.
Store any leftover salad in a covered container in the refrigerator; refrigerate within 2 hours of preparation and consume within 3-4 days.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

Every ingredient is standard stock at any Charlotte-area grocer—no special stops needed. The cost per serving lands around $1.25 to $1.50, driven mostly by fresh vegetables and pasta, making it budget-friendly for a family. The stated 32 minutes is honest; pasta takes 10 minutes to boil, vegetables need 5 to 10 minutes of chopping, and the dressing comes together in two. This is a reliable weeknight side that reheats decently for next-day lunch, though the vegetables soften slightly and the crispness the title promises fades by day two.