Ingredients

  • Salad:
    • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
    • 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
    • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
    • 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
    • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
    • 1/2 cup sliced olives
    • 4 green onions, chopped
    • 1-2 jalapeños, thinly sliced (adjust to taste)
    • 8 oz (about 2 cups) pasta (choose your favorite type)
  • Dressing:
    • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 3 cloves minced garlic
    • 1 tsp dried oregano
    • 1 tsp dried thyme
    • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Toppings (optional):
    • Nutritional yeast
    • Vegan mayo

Instructions

  1. Cook the Pasta:
    • Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
  2. Prepare Vegetables:
    • While the pasta is cooking, chop and slice all vegetables as indicated.
  3. Make the Dressing:
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, black pepper, salt, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes until well combined.
  4. Combine Ingredients:
    • In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chopped vegetables, and dressing. Toss until everything is well coated.
  5. Serve:
    • Plate the salad and, if desired, sprinkle nutritional yeast on top.
    • Add a dollop of vegan mayo if using.
  6. Chill (optional):
    • For best flavor, chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Nutritional Facts

To calculate the nutritional facts, we’ll need to consider the serving size. Assuming this recipe serves 6 people, here’s an approximate nutritional breakdown per serving:

  • Calories: ~250-300 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: ~30-35 g
  • Protein: ~5-7 g
  • Fat: ~15-20 g
  • Fiber: ~4-5 g
  • Sugars: ~5-6 g

Detailed Nutritional Information (per serving):

  • Red bell pepper: 25 calories, 0.5g protein, 6g carbs, 0.3g fat, 2g fiber
  • Yellow bell pepper: 25 calories, 0.5g protein, 6g carbs, 0.3g fat, 2g fiber
  • Green bell pepper: 20 calories, 0.5g protein, 5g carbs, 0.2g fat, 2g fiber
  • Zucchini: 20 calories, 1g protein, 4g carbs, 0.2g fat, 1g fiber
  • Red onion: 20 calories, 0.5g protein, 5g carbs, 0.1g fat, 1g fiber
  • Olives (1/2 cup): 75 calories, 1g protein, 2g carbs, 7g fat, 1g fiber
  • Green onions: 10 calories, 0.5g protein, 2g carbs, 0.1g fat, 1g fiber
  • Jalapeños: 5 calories, 0.2g protein, 1g carbs, 0.1g fat, 0.5g fiber
  • Pasta (8 oz cooked): 300 calories, 10g protein, 60g carbs, 1g fat, 3g fiber
  • Dressing (per serving): ~150 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 16g fat, 0g fiber
  • Nutritional yeast (1 tbsp): 20 calories, 2g protein, 2g carbs, 0g fat, 1g fiber