Pasta-Less Salad. The reason I call it this is because this is everything you would put into a traditional pasta salad but without the pasta!
I like to make this on week nights, we tend to indulge on the weekend so we try to eat lighter during the week. We definitely don’t cut carbs altogether but whenever I can reduce I will.
Honestly, this is so flavourful and reminds me of pasta salad but I don’t even miss the pasta! I still get the same feeling from this without all the starch. This Pasta-Less would be great in place of a pasta salad at BBQs or for dinner parties, especially if you want to keep an eye on your calories.
I also simplify my recipe by not making a separate vinaigrette to add to the salad. I season and dress the salad directly onto the vegetables in the bowl. I love seeing the seasonings coating the salad, that’s when you know it’s seasoned right.
Let the salad marinate for about half an hour if you have the time so that the seasoning and the vegetables get to know each other. Especially since I use dried herbs, they need to release their flavor and share with the salad.
Feta is definitely a key player in here, I really think it makes the whole salad. It adds a little creaminess without being too heavy or overpowering.
Give this a try and let me know how you like it in the comments! Enjoy!
Pasta-Less Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Large Cucumber
- 2 Bell Peppers Yellow, Orange or Red
- ½ Large Onion Finely Diced
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes Sliced
- 1 cup Green Olives Sliced
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- ½ Lemon Juiced
- 1 tbsp Italian Herbs Dried
- 1 tbsp Za'atar
- Garlic Salt and Pepper To Taste
- ¼ cup Crumbled Feta Cheese To Finish
Instructions
- Wash and chop all the vegetables and add into a large bowl.
- Season the vegetables directly in the bowl with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, italian herbs and za'atar. Season with garlic salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix the salad well. *If you have time to let the salad marinated for 30 minutes in the fridge it will help the seasonings incorporate more. This is not mandatory and the salad will be great immediately, too.
- Top with crumbled Feta and enjoy!
