Taking a moment out of this busy day to share this fresh and healthy Whole Wheat Pasta Salad With Honey Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette. It’s bursting with summertime flavors and freshness, and it serves a mighty big crowd! A perfect idea for a poolside party or potluck.
Hello, tomatoes! Yes, I know you are perfectly in season and happy to join the party. Jump on in, the water’s fine!
I feel like this salad has quite a bit of heft to it, for being in the salad genre. With the whole wheat pasta and roasted chicken, it can pass as either a side or a main. And I’m really happy to report that we’ve found a whole wheat pasta the WHOLE FAMILY loves. We eat a lot of pasta, and try to go for whole wheat, but sometimes there is a textural difference that can be hard to ignore. I found all different varieties of our new favorite DeLallo Whole Wheat Pasta at Sprouts! Thanks to my favorite MIL for the recommendation :0)
The Honey Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette is so good for this salad! And if you like your salads to be dressed on the heavier side, go ahead and make a double recipe. It’s always nice to have a little extra for the leftovers (if you have any) as the pasta kind of soaks up the dressing as it sits.
Instead of hazelnuts, you could use pine nuts, or peptitas. I almost always have hazelnuts on hand because they are my favorite.
Lots to love about this salad for sure! Make it with your favorites or whatever you have on hand. It’s very customizable, and I think you’ll love it!
PrintWhole Wheat Pasta Salad Honey Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette
A healthy and fresh summertime pasta salad bursting with flavors. Tossed with a quick and easy vinaigrette!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Honey Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
For the Salad
- 1 lb. whole wheat fusilli pasta (DeLallo is my favorite)
- 1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped and toasted
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
- 1 roasted chicken, meat removed and sliced
Instructions
For the Honey Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette*
- Place basil, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey into a blender or small food processor and pulse until smooth.
For the Salad
- Cook pasta according to directions. Rinse with cold water, and then drain well. In a large bowl mix pasta, onion, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, hazelnuts, feta, and artichoke hearts. Arrange sliced chicken on top, and drizzle dressing over the salad just before serving, tossing lightly to coat.
Notes
*Double if you like your salads with plenty or dressing, or to have on hand for leftovers This recipe is adapted from Fitnessista’s Best Pasta Salad
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 381
- Sugar: 6.2g
- Sodium: 215mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 4.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4.8g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 28mg
I made this today but with normal pasta since I react to wholewheat stuff, and I used sliced chicken breasts (4 large ones) instead of roasted chicken that I baked in the oven with some salt, black pepper, and lemon infused olive oil. I had to use agave syrup instead of honey as the honey I had smelled funky (I think some bread bits got in and went nasty.) Made enough for 6x 300g bowls and I got to try a little of it too before packing it up and it tasted amazing! I also chopped the rocket and red onion a little bit, not too much, since my husband is a fussy eater and won’t eat salad veggies unless they’re a pest to fish out. I think he’ll certainly have a hard time not eating them in this dish. 😀