The short answer
Not sure what to do with your leftover pasta? Here’s a quick salad with a simple yet flavourful dressing! This salad is punchy, healthy, and easy to make. You must give it a try!
How to make this salad?
The ingredients
Fusilli pasta is the base of this salad. They soak up dressing flavors and provide a satisfying bite. I use them often in salads. Any leftover pasta works, but I prefer smaller or medium-sized shapes, like penne, macaroni or fusilli. Larger shapes are annoying me too much to mix.
I add kidney beans to the salad because they’re a staple in my pantry. They’re nutritious, versatile and perfect for many dishes.
Red bell peppers are one of my favorite vegetable to add in any salad. They bring a sweet taste, crunchy texture and add colors to the dish ✨
To make the salad even fresher, you can add cherry tomatoes and cucumber.
I like to add green salads to add more color. It’s optional, but what can I say, I just love green salads 🤷
Finally, I add pumpkin seeds to add another layer of flavors and make the dish more fulfilling. Feel free to substitute with walnuts or sunflower seeds for additional nutrients and healthy fats.
With all these ingredients, we have a solid salad base.
But let’s get to the real deal now.
The beauty of the recipe resides in the dressing ⬇️
The vinaigrette
The vinaigrette brings wonderful flavors to this dish. I create a balsamic vinaigrette as a base and then I add a bunch of condiments to enhance the taste:
- Red onions to bring some punch. Opt for shallots if you want something milder.
- Ginger to brighten the salad. You will get this surprising flavor of ginger. This is the “wow” effect of this dish!
- Garlic to balance the flavors, with an effect similar to ginger.
The vinaigrette alone is delicious. It add depths and transform the pasta and beans into a wonderful salad!
The Recipe
Kidney Beans Pasta Salad
This salad is fresh, punchy, flavourful, and simple to prepare. Whether you use leftover or freshly cooked pasta, it’s quick to make! Enjoy it at home or take it on a picnic, you’ll love it!
Prep time
15
mins
Cooking Time
10
mins
Servings
4
people
Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 finely sliced garlic cloves
- 1/2 finely sliced red onion
- 1 cm finely sliced piece of ginger
- Salt & Pepper
Salad:
- 500 grams of pasta
- 2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 diced bell pepper
- Pumpkin seeds (to your taste)
- Salad greens (to your taste)
Instructions
Vinaigrette:
- Mix the vinegar with salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir until salt dissolves.
- Slowly mix in olive oil while stirring. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add garlic, onion, and ginger. Mix well.
- Add more olive oil, salt, or pepper if needed.
Salad:
- Put pasta in a big bowl.
- Add kidney beans, sliced bell peppers, pumpkin seeds, and green salad.
- Pour vinaigrette over it and mix well.
- Add salt and pepper as you like.
