Description
A creamy pasta salad paired with fresh berries for a balanced, colorful lunch box that’s quick to prepare and perfect for meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces short pasta (rotini, fusilli, or penne)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber (seeds removed)
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- 1 cup mixed fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
- Optional: baby spinach, cucumber slices, cheese cubes, or crackers
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water. Shake off excess water.
- While pasta cooks, prep veggies: Dice cucumber (remove seeds), halve cherry tomatoes, and finely dice red onion. If desired, soak onion in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow the bite, then drain.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Combine: In a mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and parsley. Pour dressing over and toss gently until evenly coated.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate pasta salad for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld.
- Prepare berries: Rinse berries gently and pat dry completely with paper towels.
- Assemble lunch box: Spoon pasta salad into one compartment, add berries to another, and add optional extras like spinach or crackers. Keep berries separate until ready to eat.
Notes
For best results, keep berries separate from pasta salad until serving to avoid sogginess. The pasta salad tastes even better the next day. Use full-fat or 2% Greek yogurt for a creamy texture; nonfat may cause separation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup pasta salad +
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 12
Keywords: creamy pasta salad, lunch box, meal prep, berries, easy lunch