Chilled Gazpacho-Style Pasta Salad

1. 1

   Peel just over half of the cucumber and set it aside. Finely dice the remaining unpeeled cucumber and keep it in the refrigerator.

2. 2

   For the gazpacho dressing, cut the peeled cucumber into large chunks and place them in a large blender jar; add the red bell pepper, jalapeno, green onion, garlic, tomatoes, basil, salt, black pepper, sugar, wine vinegar, and olive oil. Blend until smooth; strain into a large bowl. You should end up with 7 to 8 cups of dressing.

3. 3

   For the salad, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni until slightly firm with a bite, about 6 minutes, or about 15 to 30 seconds less than the package directions. Drain very well and let it cool slightly, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Stir the macaroni into the gazpacho dressing until very well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or up to overnight.

5. 5

   The next day, stir the salad again, then stir in the reserved diced cucumber, red bell pepper, and red onion. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

• Calories 250.42 kcal — Moderate 13%
• Protein 6.26 g — Moderate 13%
• Carbohydrate 37.24 g 14%
• Total Fat 9.17 g — Moderate 12%
• Saturated Fat 1.22 g — Moderate 6%
• Trans Fat 0.0 g ⌄ Low Source 0%
• Cholesterol 0.0 mg ⌄ Low Source 0%
• Sodium 231.66 mg — Moderate 10%
• Dietary Fiber 2.93 g — Moderate 10%
• Total Sugars 4.71 g --
• Added Sugars 0.0 g ⌄ Low Source 0%
• Calcium 7.23 mg ⌄ Low Source 1%
• Iron 1.45 mg ⌄ Low Source 8%
• Potassium 283.36 mg ⌄ Low Source 6%
• Vitamin A 42.15 mcg ⌄ Low Source 5%
• Vitamin C 18.51 mg ↗ Good Source 21%
• Vitamin D 0.0 mcg ⌄ Low Source 0%

Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

• Wheat 🌾
• Gluten
• Tomatoes 🍅
• Garlic 🧄
• Onions 🧅