Spring Pasta Salad

I made this colorful pasta salad for Easter dinner. My mother and my sister both are vegetarian now, so this recipe would be a good compliment to a dinner with meat or on it's own since it has beans in it. Delicious!

 

Spring Pasta Salad

Makes 8 1-cup servings

 

Ingredients:

2 cups dry pasta spirals
6 sun-dried tomatoes 

1/2 cup boiling water 

1/2 cup finely chopped green onions 

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 15-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered 

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley 

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 15-ounce can dark kidney beans, drained
1 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing

 

 

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water, drain, and place in a large bowl. Soften tomatoes by soaking them in 1/2 cup boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and chop. Add to pasta along with remaining ingredients. Toss to mix.

Note: I used rice pasta instead of wheat, and used the whole 12-oz bag. I used the whole red pepper, since it was a smaller one, and used a little bit more of the parsley and basil. Instead of fat free dressing, I used the whole foods brand organic Italian dressing. It tasted very fresh! =)