Need a macaroni salad to bring to your next BBQ without tons of fat and calories? Look no further!
This is the perfect summer pasta salad loaded with fresh summer tomatoes and zucchini tossed in a light creamy dressing. I even snuck in some Greek yogurt for added creaminess but with all the other flavors you won't know it's there. Because there are so many wonderful vegetables in this salad, the portions are a decent size and pairs perfectly with any grilled meats and burgers.
This makes enough for a large gathering, perfect for your Fourth of July parties but if you want to make this for a smaller group you can simply halve the recipe as I did here.
Summer Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Zucchini
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 16 • Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 115 • Fat: 2 g • Carb: 23 g • Fiber: 3.3 g • Protein: 3.7 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 77 mg (without the salt)
Ingredients:
- 16 oz uncooked elbows
- 4 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 cups (1 small) zucchini, sliced and quartered
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 7 tbsp light mayonnaise (Hellman's)
- 2 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp fat free Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook pasta in generously salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
In a medium bowl, combine onions, mayonnaise, vinegar, yogurt, mustard, oregano, garlic powder; mix well. Add tomatoes (and any juice from the tomato), zucchini, pasta, salt and pepper to taste, toss well and place in a large bowl.
Makes 16 cups.
If you like this, you may also like:
BLT Macaroni Salad - Skinnytaste
Macaroni Salad with Olives and Tomatoes - Skinnytaste
Summer Pasta Salad with Wilted Greens - Skinnytaste
Shrimp and Macaroni Salad - Kalyn's Kitchen
Italian Pasta Salad - Eat Yourself Skinny























Oh man! My family reunion is this weekend and this would be perfect! You are awesome :)
ReplyDeleteOh Gina this looks great!!! I like that you stated its has a "Light creamy dressing"...
ReplyDeleteI have all the ingredients here too!!!
Thanks.
Diane
Thanks Diane, hope you enjoy. It's great without the pasta too!
Deleteoh my yes that is so true.....
DeleteImagine it with no pasta and more veggies....
DeleteI am definitely going to try it without the pasta!
DeleteI am defintely making this this week! I have everything already at home. Sounds delish! Thanks! I made the warm corn salad last night with our tacos and it was excellent. My husband loved it and finished it off today. :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful!
Deletewhat brand of elbows did you use? they look like they have lines in the macaroni that would hold onto the dressing which is good.
ReplyDeleteIt's Barilla, yes it has lines. Love their shapes. Of course one can use whole wheat, or low carb pasta as well.
DeleteDo you serve hot or cold?
ReplyDeleteRoom temperature. If you refrigerate it, it gets a little dry so I like to make it and eat it.
DeleteI came on looking for a side for tonight's dinner, and I found it!
ReplyDeleteIs there anything else you could add to keep this low in calories? I really do not like yogurt, mustard or low fat mayo. I have even tried the olive oil version and the taste is funky.
ReplyDeleteYou could make the Skinny Ranch dressing and use that instead. Or buy dome light ranch if you don't want to make it.
DeleteIf you dont like the creamy dressings, what about trying it with a bit of fat free Italian dressing?
DeleteGina typically uses Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta, if you look at her other recipes. I am going to try to think of an alternative veggie to zucchini.
ReplyDeleteI do, but sometimes I stray. You can absolutely use it here, or Dreamfields.
DeleteWhat about cucumbers?
I always put cucumbers in my pasta salad, I am going to make this one and replace the zucchini with them!
DeleteWill this keep overnight?
ReplyDeleteI want to make this for my 4th of July BBQ the night before and BBQ is next day at 4p. :)
Yes it will, but it may need a little more mayo after sitting in the fridge. You'll have to test it out. Adding a little more will increase the points to 4, still not bad.
DeleteOr you could mix up the veggies/pasta and the dressing seperately, then just toss them together before serving?
DeleteA great way to keep it from drying out is to toss it in a tbsp of olive oil. That usually does the trick
DeleteThis looks delicious!! Perfect recipe for summer!
ReplyDeletehttp://allthingsalisamarie.blogspot.com
Dee-licious! :) Perfect for cookout season!
ReplyDeleteAny suggestion to making it dairy/egg free (without adding mayo)?
ReplyDeleteAre you thinking that adding mayo would make it egg free? Mayo has eggs in it...
DeleteThere is store-brand vegan "mayo" or you can make your own: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/saucesdipsspreads/r/veganmayo.htmmake your own]. Vegan "Greek yogurt" is also tofu based. Chocolate Covered Katie has a replication here: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/01/22/like-eating-a-bowl-of-whipped-cream/.
DeleteIsn't there a Vegan-aisse? I think I saw it in Fitness Magazine this month.
DeleteTrader Joes carries a good Veganaise, I think.
DeleteYou did it again! Awesome! I used whole wheat bowtie pasta. You rock!
DeleteThis sounds incredible! I better go get some Greek yogurt :-) Thanks for the great idea Gina!
ReplyDeletepaulasplate.blogspot.com
The photos make you want to gobble it up right off the screen! That salad looks so good. :) It's going on my July 4 salad list.
ReplyDeleteGreat combination of flavors. I also added 1/2 cup red & yellow chopped peppers and a 1/2 cup of sliced Spanish green olives. I was out of elbow macaroni so I used whole wheat fusilli which worked well.
ReplyDeleteI often add black olives. You can really add any vegetable you like.
DeleteThis is exactly what I've been looking for for the 4th of July! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteIs the amount of oregano listed for fresh or dried? I know it usually makes a difference.
ReplyDeleteyum!!!!Perfect for summer..
ReplyDeleteI love this idea. Thanks for sharing... Kisses Gina
Is the amount of oregano listed for fresh or dried?
ReplyDeleteI despise pasta salad, but THIS I will HAVE to try!!! Yummmm. Thanks Gina!
ReplyDeleteThis looks so good! What are the yellow things in the picture, though? Tomatoes?
ReplyDeleteLittle heirloom tomatoes, red, green, yellow and orange. Love the colors but you can use red if you like.
Deletei was wondering the same thing about the little yellow things:) Thanks for asking Jenny.....this salad is on my list for this week.
Deleteyellow tomatoes
ReplyDeleteIs it 3+ points with the pasta?
ReplyDeleteYes. There are so may veggies that it brings the points down per serving.
DeleteSuch a classic! I bet it's even better the next day.
ReplyDeleteI made this tonight...cooked the zucchini a little bit in the microwave. didnt have greek yogurt, used some sour cream instead...hubby doesnt like onions, so left them out...
ReplyDeleteIT WAS FABULOUS!!!
Wonderful!
DeleteLoving this! Sounds great, looks beautiful, and screams summer. Need to add this to my list of summer dishes to try!
ReplyDeleteThis looks so fresh and I bet it's really tasty!
ReplyDeleteThis looks so yummy!
ReplyDeleteJust made this! Super tasty... having it with some grilled salmon! YUM YUM :)
ReplyDeleteThis macaroni salad looks absolutely amazing, I love all the fresh veggies thrown in! Thank you so much for linking up my pasta salad, you are the sweetest! :)
ReplyDeleteI wonder how tuna or salmon would taste in this for a quick lunch?
ReplyDeleteI love all the colours from the mixed tomatoes. This looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI halved the recipe and still have leftovers. YUM!!!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, half makes a lot!
DeleteLooks great Gina - do we use uncooked zucchini?
ReplyDeleteYup!
DeleteCan't wait to try this recipe! I'm so glad I found Skinnytaste!
ReplyDeleteIt's 7:30 in the morning and my mouth is watering over this. I can't wait to try it!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your baby red potato salad, so I can't wait to try this!
ReplyDeleteGreat salad to take on a summer picnic!
ReplyDeleteCook the zucchini ahead or put it in raw? Thanks for another great recipe - just when I was getting bored! :)
ReplyDeleteRaw :)
DeleteI love this recipe. It is so colorful, fun, and an all-american treat that's perfect for the Fourth of July. Do you think I could substitute anything for the mayonnaise because my family doesn't usually buy it.
ReplyDeleteLight Sour cream perhaps?
DeleteGina, do you think adding some shrimp to this recipe would work well?
ReplyDeleteI bet it would be wonderful!
DeleteYour timing is impeccable... my sister in-law literally just asked me to bring veggies for our 4th of July family gathering - told her our garden is having its' best year ever and I would come up with something - you just did that for me!! Can't wait to try it!!
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I've done with pasta salad in the past is sprinkle some vinegar on it after it drains in the colander - I usually use seasoned rice vinegar to boost the taste a bit, without any extra calories.
ReplyDeleteHi Gina, this salad looks great. I am so anxious for my fresh tomatoes to be ripe. Thanks for the mention of my shrimp and macaroni salad too; a huge family favorite!
ReplyDeleteLooks great as always!
DeleteI think I will add chicken to make this a nice summer meal.
ReplyDeleteHi Gina, I am not a fan of zucchini, how about cucumber? Do you think that would work?
ReplyDeleteSure!
DeleteI made this last night and can't wait for the leftovers for lunch - delicious! I am not a tomato fan so I swapped for carrots and black olives. I also added grilled chicken to make it a meal and not just a side. SO GOOD! thanks Gina!
ReplyDeleteGina,
ReplyDeleteAnother fabulous recipe! I made this last night and it was wonderful. My teenage daughter actually came into the kitchen and said - "if its from that skinnytaste website I'll eat it because I love all her recipes". We added some orange bell pepper to add more color.
Aww, how sweet.
DeleteI have NEVER made anything off of this site that tastes bad! Once again, you made an awesome dish!!
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious! I Can't wait to make it for my family this weekend.
ReplyDeleteThis pasta looks great, I hope to make it soon. I've never tried raw zucchini before, so, I'm curious about that.
ReplyDeleteHave a good day! :D
This looks just like my mom's macaroni salad - only healthier. I love it! :)
ReplyDeleteI can't eat dairy...did the original recipe have yogurt? If I left it out would it make a huge difference in flavor?
ReplyDeleteThis is the original recipe, but you can leave it out if you wish. Mayo doesn't bother you?
DeleteDo you cook the zucchini first?
ReplyDeleteIt's raw :)
DeleteThis sounds so delicious! I love that its made with yogurt instead of mayonnaise like most macaroni salads. My husband refuses to eat mayonnaise so this will be perfect! Definitely bookmarking this!
ReplyDeleteThanks Gina! I've tried your other macaroni recipes and am really excited to try this one! I got designated potato & pasta salad for 4th of July festivities! I'm making this and the Baby Red Potato Salad! I'm sure everyone will love it since we're all watching our weight!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'm down 7 lbs since June 1st and have been using your recipes almost exclusively for lunch & dinners!
Made this for dinner last night. No zucchini, used red and green bell peppers, mushrooms, black olives. The dressing was great. Husband said it was good..he wasnt crazy about the Warm Mexican Corn Salad,which I couldn't get enough of, but everything else I have made from this site has been a keeper. He's on a diet and doesn't even know it!!!
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love 'fooling' our other halves into eating healthy :)
DeleteMade this yesterday for a potluck. Lots of positive comments. It was fresh, flavorful, and the tasty dressing provided plenty of moisture. The leftovers were a bit dry after being in the fridge overnight, so I might add a little more dressing. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMade this last night as a side for BBQ Chicken, added the leftover cold chicken to it today for lunch. Scrumptious both times! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight with grilled pork tenderloin, sooo good! Thanks Gina!!
ReplyDeleteI just made this and it is amazing. Thank you for all of your great and easy-to-make recipes. I never do things like these but so far have done the fiesta lime rice, mini cheesecakes, and this one. Excellent for my family. :)
ReplyDeleteSo delicious! I used cucumber instead of zucchini. Very refreshing
ReplyDeleteI made this over the weekend for my BBQ, it was a big hit! I can't believe it's only 3 pts for 1 cup! Sooo good!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to make this!!! Yum!
ReplyDeleteSounds great! If I have to leave out the Dijon mustard, would you suggest increasing any of the other ingredients in its place?
ReplyDeleteJust made this for a small lunch party we're having at work tomorrow. I had to sneak a cup (2 actually). So good. It made a TON. I was originally going to half the recipe and keep it for lunch throughout the week but when they sprang the lunch party on me today, i figured i might as well just make the whole batch and hopefully still have leftovers. I'm stuffed!
ReplyDeleteOooh! BTW! I used regular yellow mustard because i didn't feel like buying a whole jar of dijon knowing it wouldn't get used. Still delicious. And! The cup servings.. are you going by weight or volume? 'Cause i weighed out the two cups but stopped short at 15 ounces because it seemed like too much. Should i be measuring out my cup servings with a pyrex (volume) rather than with a kitchen scale (weight)?
ReplyDeleteI'm a little confused. The recipe says "...for a smaller group you can simply halve the recipe AS I DID HERE." So are the ingredients listed for 16 servings or not? One small zucchini and 1/2 cup red onion doesn't sound like nearly enough for 16 servings? Nor do many of the other ingredients.
ReplyDeleteThe recipe calls for 16 servings. I'm guessing the original was for 32?!?! Trust me, the 16 serving version makes a ton.
DeleteIt's probably halved for the photo. She's done that in the past because it usually shows better. That looks like the 8 serving in the photo.
DeleteSorry for the confusion, for the photo and because I wasn't having a party when I posted I made half. But the recipe is written for 16 servings.
DeleteJust made this for tomorrow! Snuck a taste and Wow-za! Amazing!
ReplyDeleteI made this dish last night. My husband and I loved it! I'm so grateful I found your website!!! I'm addicted to it!!
ReplyDeleteMaking this for a 4th of July picnic tonight! So excited to be able to eat pasta salad on WW!
ReplyDeleteJust made this and the taste-it-as-you-make-it test was great! Then oops, I put it in the fridge before I saw your comment not to chill it. Guess we'll see at dinner tonight!
ReplyDeleteThis is sooo delicious! I'm not a huge fan of tomatoes so I used peppers instead and it came out great! I love that it's not overly sauced. It's delicious and light! A great side for any cookout!
ReplyDeleteJust made this for the 4th of July BBQ, had to sub apple cider vinegar and spicy brown mustard but it tastes AWESOME! Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteBrought this to a July 4th BBQ yesterday and it was a huge hit! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMade this for the 4th of July with whole wheat macaroni and everyone loved it, even the pick eaters!
ReplyDeleteYUM! Made this last night for my neighborhood bbq and everyone loved it and nobody guessed it was "skinny-fied". The thought crossed my mind to halve the zucchini lengthwise and grill them for a few minutes on each side to give it good grill flavor, do you think the zucchini would get mushy? I loved it as is, I was just curious. ;)
ReplyDeleteI bet that would be great!
DeleteI was thinking of making this with Orzo (because I have it on hand). I plan to halve the recipe anyway, but would I need to change any other proportions if I used orzo instead of pasta? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI've made two batches of this in the last 3 days.. I can't stop eating it. Thank god it's healthy!
ReplyDeleteTHIS MADE A TON! WOW!! Good thing I like it a lot cause I'll be eating it for a week! :) (we had way too much food at our 4th. Next time I'll switch back to whole wheat. The white really doesn't fill me up enough. I think I've gotten too used to the whole wheat!
ReplyDeleteI ended up making this with orzo and it was fantastic! I swapped out the zucchini for peppers because I prefer them (and had them) and I added celery because I can't have macaroni salad without them! This is DELISH!!! Love it so much! THanks once again.
ReplyDeleteThis is great. It held up very well in the frig. I thought it was a slightly dry so I added just a little bit of light italian dressing...fantastic. Thanks for recipes!
ReplyDeleteMade this tonight. It was a hit. Subbed cucumber, loved it. Thanks for the delish recipe.
ReplyDeleteThis recipe isn't bad, but the flavors are a little bit bizarre together and it ends up being sort of dry/thick for my taste. I don't think I'd make it again without some substantially modifications.
ReplyDeleteI had this for dinner tonight and it was an absolute delight!
ReplyDeleteMade this last night to have with some fish. This was superb; no surprise there as every recipe I've made that you have invented has been a success!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you.
PamF
First, I didn't even know you could eat zucchini raw and second when I made it, I thought it wasn't enough sauce then I tried it... DELICIOUS!!! Once again Gina does NOT fail!
ReplyDeleteJust made this a few minutes ago! I found a box of a new type of Barilla pasta. It is mini farfalle pasta made with tomatoes and carrots! Not only is it delicious, has a serving of veggies in each serving, but it's really cute and perfect for this pasta salad.
ReplyDeleteWow, made this today and everyone LOVED IT! I just used cucumber instead of zucchini but I bet it's great with zucchini too! I made homemade sorbet as dessert and it was the perfect dinner. Thank you! x
ReplyDeleteWow what an incredible recipe. I Made it for the company cook out and it went all gone. It is absolutley scrumpulicious.
ReplyDeleteHi Gina!
ReplyDeleteI read you from Spain, I follow the Weight Watchers program and have recently just discovered your blog. I must wonder, love it!! Earlier today I made this recipe to eat and I have to say that the dressing is simply delicious. Thanks for all your recipes and your work, you're great!!
I am making this tomorrow night for a get-together! I am so excited. Because I am short on time, I am wondering if it is ok to cook the pasta ahead of time and mix it with the chopped veggies, then make the dressing and keep them separate just before serving. I was hoping to just bring it to room temperature and toss everything together about 30 minutes before the gathering starts.
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