Low Fat Pasta Salad

This vibrant pasta salad is a perfect balance of crisp textures and bright flavors. Featuring rotini pasta tossed with fresh celery, radishes, green peppers, and juicy orange sections, it&# 226;ÂÂs a colorful dish that feels light yet satisfying. The dressing, made from fat-free yogurt and thawed orange juice concentrate, adds a creamy tang without the heaviness of traditional mayonnaise. Ideal for potlucks, summer picnics, or a quick weeknight side, this salad tastes even better after chilling, allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully. ItÃ¢ÂÂs a healthy, low-fat option that doesnÃ¢ÂÂt compromise on taste.

Cuisine: Italian

Courses: Salads

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 12

Calories: 28.5

Dietary: Low-fat, Vegetarian

Description

This vibrant pasta salad is a perfect balance of crisp textures and bright flavors. Featuring rotini pasta tossed with fresh celery, radishes, green peppers, and juicy orange sections, it&# 226;ÂÂs a colorful dish that feels light yet satisfying. The dressing, made from fat-free yogurt and thawed orange juice concentrate, adds a creamy tang without the heaviness of traditional mayonnaise. Ideal for potlucks, summer picnics, or a quick weeknight side, this salad tastes even better after chilling, allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully. ItÃ¢ÂÂs a healthy, low-fat option that doesnÃ¢ÂÂt compromise on taste.

Ingredients

2 cup Rotini (corkscrew) pasta
1 1/2 cup Reduced-fat Monterey Jack

Directions

1
Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions until al dente.
2
Drain the pasta and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process.
3
Drain the pasta again well to remove excess water.
4
In a small bowl, whisk together the thawed orange juice concentrate, fat-free mayonnaise dressing, plain fat-free yogurt, and ground black pepper to create the dressing.
5
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cubed reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced celery, chopped sweet green peppers, thinly sliced radishes, and sliced green onions.
6
Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture.
7
Gently toss everything together until the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated with the dressing.
8
Fold in the peeled and sectioned orange segments carefully to avoid crushing them.
9
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, to allow the flavors to meld.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 12

Amount Per Serving
Calories 28.5kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0.2g1%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
Sodium 1.2mg1%
Total Carbohydrate 6.9g3%
Dietary Fiber 0.5g2%
Sugars 5.7g
Protein 0.8g2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

The recipe lists "Reduced-fat Monterey Jack" in the ingredients but is tagged as Vegan. If making this vegan, omit the cheese or substitute with a plant-based cheese alternative, and ensure the "fat-free mayonnaise dressing" is vegan-friendly.

For best flavor, let the salad chill for at least 4 hours before serving. The flavors deepen significantly as it sits.

Make sure to drain the pasta very well after rinsing to prevent the dressing from becoming watery.

You can substitute the Monterey Jack with feta or mozzarella for a different flavor profile, though this will increase the fat content slightly.

Keywords: pasta salad, low fat, orange dressing, rotini, vegan option, potluck, summer side, yogurt dressing, celery, radishes, green peppers, healthy lunch, make ahead, citrus flavor, light meal, vegetable salad, chilled pasta, family friendly, quick recipe, meal prep, fresh herbs

Read it online: https://www.chefs-mate.com/recipe/low-fat-pasta-salad-2/