prosciutto, elbow pasta, red onion, pepperoncini's, fresh veg, and a creamy zesty dressing.
GRINDER Pasta Salad! We've all seen or heard of the viral Italian grinder sandwich on TikTok. Salami (pepperoni or prosciutto), mozzarella, lettuce, creamy salad, all sandwiched between two slices of thick, crusty bread. *Insert drool here.
With how insanely good that sounds, I had to try making a grinder inspired pasta salad. High volume and high protein ;)
I opted for pickled red onion, feta, lower calorie elbow pasta, romaine, ripe cherry tomatoes, pepperoncini's, cucumber, chickpeas, prosciutto and grilled chicken. How did the taste test go? Fresh, zesty, salty, savory, tangy = absolute perfection.
"Be right back. Making my new hyper fixation meal for the 4th time."
Why you NEED this pasta salad?
*Minimal Effort - If you use pre-cooked chicken or only deli meats, it's a 10-minute meal!
*High Volume - to fill you up and keep you satiated.
*Fresh herbs and veg – use as many fresh ingredients as you can. Trust me when I say it makes a world of difference.
*Creamy Zesty Dressing - More macro-friendly, using plain nonfat Greek yogurt instead of mayo, olive oil, red wine vinegar, agave, herbs, fresh lemon and garlic.
Italian Grinder Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
SALAD
4 oz grilled chicken (diced) *or alternate protein
4 slices prosciutto or salami
2 hearts of romaine (chopped)
4 oz pasta (Veggiecraft cauliflower elbow)
Salt, pepper to taste
1/4 c crumbled feta
2 handfuls cucumber, cherry tomatoes (diced)
Pickled red onion, pepperoncini's
120g chickpeas (drained, rinsed)
Parsley
CREAMY ZESTY DRESSING:
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp agave
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt, pinch pepper, red pepper flakes
Water to thin
(Serves 2)
Method:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar, a little juice from the pepperoncini jar, olive oil, lemon, agave, pepper, salt, oregano, basil, garlic, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Add a little water to thin, if needed. Set aside.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
3. Dice the chicken, prosciutto, tomatoes, and cucumber. Slice the lettuce, pickled red onion, and pepperoncini's. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, add in the cooked pasta, another pinch of salt, feta, pepperoncini, red onion, cherry tomatoes, chicken, cucumber, chickpeas, and prosciutto.
5. *Add in the lettuce and pour the dressing over the entire salad (if you are making this ahead of time, simply leave out the lettuce and dressing until ready to eat). Gently toss to combine and coat everything in the dressing.
6. Serve in bowls with some fresh parsley and enjoy!
*Nutritional values may vary based on what you use.
Calories (1 serving, w/dressing) | Carbohydrates (g) | Fat (g) | Protein (g) |
535 | 61 | 12 | 45 |
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