Chill out this summer with a refreshing pasta salad packed with colorful veggies and a tangy lemon vinaigrette. It’s the perfect light and healthy dish to keep you cool on hot summer days – a true crowd-pleaser! This dressing – I could literally pour it over anything. Trust me, it’s a recipe worth keeping! 🍋🍅🥒

Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette 🍋 

Pasta salad ingredients:
2 -16oz boxes of rotini pasta
10 oz grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 an English cucumber, diced
1/2 a red onion finely sliced
1/2 a red pepper, diced
14 oz can of artichoke hearts, quartered 
3.8 oz can of sliced black olives
1/4 cup of banana peppers

Lemon vinaigrette ingredients:
1/3 cup of lemon juice
1/3 cup of Extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder 
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper or to taste

Directions:
Step 1
In a large pot, bring water to a boil and salt generously. Boil pasta according to package instructions about 8-10 minutes. Drain, rise with cold water and add a few ice cubes and continue to rinse for about a minute to cool down pasta. 

Step 2
In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the lemon vinaigrette.

Step 3
In a large bowl, add chilled pasta and remaining pasta salad ingredients. Top with lemon vinaigrette and toss. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. Toss the salad again right before serving.