Think, Eat, Be Healthy

Fusilli Pasta Salad Recipe

Fusilli pasta salad with fresh local vegetables and herbs.

Fusilli pasta salad with fresh local vegetables and herbs.

Fusilli pasta salad is good to make during the summer and fall when fresh local tomatoes, peppers and herbs are available. As with most of my recipes, this one is designed for easy substitutions. Feel absolutely free to use different pasta, different vegetables, different herbs and different dressings. Fusilli pasta salad shows how to make a traditional highly refined pasta part of a healthy whole food diet by camouflaging it with lots of fresh and preferably local vegetables and herbs.

Fusilli Corti Bucati is a hollow, cork-screw shaped durum wheat semolina dry pasta.

Fusilli Corti Bucati is a hollow, cork-screw shaped durum wheat semolina dry pasta.

Even though durum wheat semolina pastas have little nutrition remaining save for the protein and carbohydrates(our bodies have a hard time using the vitamins added by fortification), they can still make a healthy side dish or entree. This fusilli pasta salad recipe is full of easily bio-available vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients with strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune boosting properties. Allium vegetables like fresh garlic and onion, red and green bell peppers, ripe tomatoes and fresh herbs all pack a powerful nutritional punch. The fiber of the vegetables and herbs, along with the nutrients, also greatly lowers the glycemic index of the pasta, thus moderating the body’s insulin response.

These vegetables and herbs are ready to add to the cooked pasta.

These vegetables and herbs are ready to add to the cooked pasta.

Start this recipe by cooking the pasta. Use enough water to cover the amount of pasta needed by several inches. Add a pinch of salt for flavor and a tablespoon of oil to help prevent sticking, then bring to a full boil over high heat. Add the pasta and stir often until done. I like my pasta to still have good body but to bite of cleanly and not stick to my teeth. I know many people that like their pasta cooked much longer. Drain the pasta and rinse well under cold water. Leave to drain while preparing the vegetables.

The cooked fusilli pasta

The cooked fusilli pasta

This recipe uses finely minced fresh garlic, small diced sweet onion, diced red and green bell pepper, diced fresh tomato, fresh whole basil leaves and fresh whole parsley leaves. Adjust the amounts of everything to match the amount of pasta and your personal taste. Make substitutions according to what you have on hand or available locally. For a sweeter salad add shredded carrot. For a milder salad use fresh leek or shallot instead of onion and garlic. For more antioxidants and anti-inflammatories add shredded red or golden beets. Toss all of the raw vegetables with the pasta.

Fusilli pasta salad is a light summer salad. I like to use a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a splash of balsamic vinegar and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil for the dressing. Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste complete this simple salad. Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for several days for future meals.

Fusilli pasta salad with bitter greens, beans, spaghetti squash, steamed carrots and purple potatoes and herb roasted chicken.

Fusilli pasta salad with bitter greens, beans, spaghetti squash, steamed carrots and purple potatoes and herb roasted chicken.