“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the National Pasta Association and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”
Hi Friends!
Let’s talk pasta, shall we? Did you know October is National Pasta Month? You guys know i’m definitely not one to shy away from carbs. I’m a huge pasta fan and think it can be a great addition to a healthy diet. Pair it with lots of veggies and some lean protein and BOOM! You’ve got yourself a meal. Plus it’s budget friendly and comes in all sorts of fun shapes!
When I heard that this month The Recipe Redux teamed up with the National Pasta Association to present Redux members with a Pasta Fits contest, I knew I had to enter! The idea was to create a pasta recipe that fits into your healthy lifestyle.
So, what did I come up with?
Lately I’ve been struggling a bit with lunches. I’m 38 weeks pregnant. I’m tired all the time. I don’t want to spend a lot of time putting together an elaborate lunch. So I thought i’d come up with something I could make a big batch of ahead of time and then simply pull it out and eat it for lunches during the week.
I settled on a pasta salad. With pasta as the base, it’s easy to add lots of veggies and protein for a complete meal. The star of this recipe, however, is the “dressing”. It’s just two ingredients, but it’s so delicious.
Here’s how you make it:
PrintChicken Pasta Salad with Salsa Hummus Dressing
Easy to make ahead of time, this pasta salad is great for weekday lunches or a quick dinner.
- Yield: 3-4 1x
Ingredients
- 3 cups vegetables, chopped
- 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
- 1/2 a medium avocado, cubed
- 1 cup elbow pasta, uncooked
- 1/3 cup salsa
- 1/3 cup hummus
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package directions.
- While pasta is cooking, combine vegetables, avocado and chicken in a large bowl.
- Mix in pasta.
- Add salsa and hummus and stir until well combined.
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour to let flavors meld.
- Serve cold.
See what I mean about the dressing? So simple…just hummus and salsa. But it adds so much flavor! I used Sabra Supremely Spicy Hummus and Jacks Salsa. Feel free to use your favorites, or a homemade version!
After you mix everything together, feel free to add more hummus and/or salsa if you want it creamier!
For the veggies, I used peppers, carrots and green beans to add crunch and then threw in some defrosted peas from the freezer and meant to add some tomato but forgot! For the chicken, I made a Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken and used some of the meat from that!
Enjoy!
—Lindsay–
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This seems like a perfect post run brunch
I have never thought of doing hummus dressing before. So cool. And I totally know what you mean about the lunch quandary. I went on a tabbouleh kick in my last few weeks for similar reasons. Ha ha.
OOOH
I am a life long dressing hater but humus lover too!
Okay, even though I totally don’t eat pasta, this looks so good! (Not to mention so easy!) I would totally make this (gluten-free of course!) 😉 XOXO
Definitely sounds and looks tasty and easy!
I loooove pasta salads!! My favorite was always a shrimp salad my mom would make with little baby shrimp and shell pasta. So good!
Being 38 weeks pregnant and exhausted, you STILL come up with some amazing meals! The salsa hummus sounds so, SO good! I would have never thought of that
I honestly cannot believe how simple the ingredient list is on this! Awesome idea, Lindsay. I think I will give it a try with chickpeas in place of the chicken!
You can’t go wrong when hummus is involved. I’ll definitely be trying this recipe soon.
Thank you! My kids are ALREADY clamoring for “something different” in their lunchboxes. They will love, love this. (And I will love putting it in their lunchbox!)
Good luck with your contest. This looks so easy; a great meal to whip together and serve if you need something quick during the weekday. Salsa and hummus are fantastic on their own. I need to try that combo.
Pasta salad is easily one of my favorite things to make to have on hand for easy meals. It’s easy to incorporate lots of yummy and healthy foods into it!
I never use hummus as dressing but should seriously start! I love pasta salad… especially after it’s been sitting a few days!
This looks yummy!
This is such a great idea for a dressing! I love salsa and hummus, but never thought to put them together, or to use as a ‘sauce’. Great stuff!
Lindsey this is such a creative use for avocado, salsa, and hummus – three things I eat all the time but never thought to blend together. Pinned!
mmMmm i like hummus and salsa! i’ve never put salsa on pasta before, but it sounds like a good idea and i’ll give it a try! thanks!
Looks great! Thank you for this healthier version of pasta salad!