Picnic-Ready Rotini Pasta Salad
Rotini pasta is tossed with snow peas, carrots, English peas, broccoli, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and onions, then coated in a tangy Dijon-cider and rice vinegar vinaigrette. Fresh tarragon, dill, parsley, chives, and thyme add an herbal lift, while a hint of cayenne brings gentle warmth. Serve it chilled for a colorful summer picnic, potluck, or light meal.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook10 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyHard
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Picnic-Ready Rotini Pasta Salad, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 55 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 12 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 50 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 64
- Heart Health
- 69
- Metabolic
- 42
- Digestive
- 30
- Inflammatory
- 24
- Performance
- 40
- General Wellness
- 1
Whisk Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, rice vinegar, salt, sugar, and cayenne together in a large bowl for about 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Whisk in tarragon, dill, parsley, chives, and thyme. Set aside some of the dressing in a separate small bowl.
- 2
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook pasta at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Add snow peas, carrots, peas, and broccoli about 2 minutes before the pasta is done. Drain pasta and vegetables well, but do not rinse.
- 3
Transfer the hot pasta mixture to the vinaigrette in the large mixing bowl and toss well to combine. Let rest for 5 minutes, then toss again. Toss occasionally until the mixture is almost at room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.
- 4
Add bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, green onions, salt, and the reserved dressing, and toss well.
- 5
Serve immediately, or for best results, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours. Toss and adjust the seasoning before serving.
- Calories 504.91 kcal High 25%
- Protein 10.32 g Good Source 21%
- Carbohydrate 59.1 g 21%
- Total Fat 26.85 g High 34%
- Saturated Fat 3.7 g Moderate 19%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 0.02 mg Low Source 0%
- Sodium 73.69 mg Low Source 3%
- Dietary Fiber 5.57 g Moderate 20%
- Total Sugars 7.35 g --
- Added Sugars 0.5 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 70.22 mg Low Source 5%
- Iron 3.68 mg Good Source 20%
- Potassium 334.13 mg Low Source 7%
- Vitamin A 57.25 mcg Low Source 6%
- Vitamin C 36.4 mg Good Source 40%
- 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
- Mustard
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Picnic Ready Rotini Pasta Salad is an Italian side dish recipe made with 24 ingredients. It takes about 25 mins, serves 8, and is rated hard. Key ingredients include Apple Cider Vinegar, Bell Pepper, Broccoli Florets, and Carrot. Each serving provides about 504.91 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Picnic-Ready Rotini Pasta Salad?
- It is an Italian salad recipe made with 24 ingredients, usually served for side dish or dinner or lunch or salad.
- What is Picnic-Ready Rotini Pasta Salad made of?
- The main ingredients are Apple Cider Vinegar, Bell Pepper, Broccoli Florets, Carrot, Cayenne Pepper. The full list of 24 is above.
- How long does it take to make Picnic-Ready Rotini Pasta Salad?
- About 25 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 10 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 504.91 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Picnic-Ready Rotini Pasta Salad easy to make?
- This recipe is rated hard, with 24 ingredients and 5 steps.
- Is Picnic-Ready Rotini Pasta Salad healthy?
- Picnic-Ready Rotini Pasta Salad has an easyChef Pro health score of 40/100. Per serving, it provides 504.91 calories and 10.32 g of protein, or 21% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of iron and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: saturated fat at 3.7 g (19% of the Daily Value). It contains Wheat, Gluten, Mustard, Tomatoes and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required