Sesame Ginger Pasta Salad
Colorful bell peppers, tender pasta, and ribbons of radicchio are tossed in a sesame-ginger dressing.
Serves8 to 12
Prep10 minutes
Cook10 minutes to 12 minutes
If you’re looking for a fresh and filling meal to eat between Zoom calls all week long, this pasta salad is it. It’s packed with sweet and crunchy baby bell peppers, tender, bite-sized pasta, and ribbons of red radicchio, all lightly dressed with a punchy store-bought sesame-ginger vinaigrette. It comes together quickly, without any fussy extra steps or hard-to-find ingredients, and is the perfect make-ahead option for easy weekday eating.
I like to mix together the pasta, bell peppers, radicchio, and 1/4 cup of the dressing on Sunday afternoon. When lunch hour hits during the week, I add an extra drizzle of dressing, a sliced green onion, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds to the bowl. Serve with leftover sliced steak or add cubes of crispy tofu for a filling lunch to carry you through the day.
Sesame Ginger Pasta Salad
Colorful bell peppers, tender pasta, and ribbons of radicchio are tossed in a sesame-ginger dressing.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes to 12 minutes
Serves 8 to 12
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) bag
mixed baby bell peppers
- 3
medium scallions
- 1 medium head
radicchio
- 1 pound
dried, short pasta
- 6 tablespoons
store-bought sesame-ginger vinaigrette
- 2 teaspoons
sesame seeds (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare the following, placing them all in the same large bowl: Stem, core, and seed 12 ounces mixed baby bell peppers, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Thinly slice 3 medium scallions. Cut 1 head radicchio crosswise into thin shreds.
Add 1 pound pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. When the pasta is ready, drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Drain well.
Transfer the pasta to the bowl of bell peppers. Add 6 tablespoons store-bought sesame-ginger vinaigrette, 2 teaspoons sesame seeds if desired, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed before serving.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: To make the salad in advance, dress with 1/4 cup dressing during assembly and don’t add the sesame seeds. Toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons dressing and sesame seeds just before serving.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days.