Bacon and Basil Pasta Salad

Name: Bacon and Basil Pasta Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Yield: 22
Ingredients: 1 package (16 oz/454 g) penne pasta; 1/2 lb (250 g) sliced bacon; 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half; 2 medium red or green bell peppers or 1 of each, chopped (2 cups/500 mL); 4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup/50 mL); 1/3 cup (75 mL) red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard; 1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil; 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh basil leaves; 1 tsp (5 mL) salt; 1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground pepper

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Prep 25 min
Total 2 hr 25 min
Servings 22

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Perfect for a potluck, picnic or any time you're serving a crowd, this big batch of pasta salad can be prepared in just 25 minutes.

Sep 8, 2011

Ingredients

1 package (16 oz/454 g) penne pasta
1/2 lb (250 g) sliced bacon
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 medium red or green bell peppers or 1 of each, chopped (2 cups/500 mL)
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup/50 mL)
1/3 cup (75 mL) red wine vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground pepper

Steps

1

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain.
2

Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 5 to 8 minutes until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; refrigerate until serving time.
3

In large bowl, mix pasta, tomatoes, bell peppers and onions.
4

In small bowl, beat vinegar and mustard with whisk. Add oil; beat with whisk until blended. Stir in basil, salt and pepper. Pour over pasta mixture and toss to combine. Cover; refrigerate 2 hours or until chilled.
5

Just before serving, sprinkle bacon over salad and toss to combine.

Expert Tips

Tip 1
Tip: Grape tomatoes are the smaller version of cherry tomatoes and they are just about bite-size. Cherry tomatoes, cut in half or into quarters, can be used instead of grape tomatoes in this salad.

Nutrition Information

160 Calories, 7g Total Fat, 4g Protein, 19g Total Carbs, 1g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 22 servings

Calories: 160

Total Fat: 7g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 270mg

Total Carbs: 19g

Dietary Fiber: 1g

Sugars: 1g

Protein: 4g

% Daily Value*:

Exchanges:

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.