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Smoked Mozzarella and Penne Spinach Salad

Bring something special to the table with this well-loved recipe.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
22 mins
Servings: 6 -8 servings
Calories: 349 kcal
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Parmesan Dressing:
  • ¼ ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • ½ ½ cup low-fat mayonnaise
  • ¼ ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • 3 3 cloves garlic finely minced
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
  • 12 12 ounces penne pasta
  • 3 3 cups packed baby spinach
  • 12 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers drained and diced
  • 4-6 4-6 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese diced

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. For the dressing, combine the Parmesan cheese, parsley, mayo, vinegar, garlic, cayenne and salt and pepper in a blender and process until the dressing is smooth. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The dressing can be made up to two days ahead of time.
  2. To prepare the salad, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until just tender, al dente. Drain the pasta into a colander and run cold water over it and drain well.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, spinach, roasted red peppers and smoked mozzarella. At this point, the salad and dressing can be refrigerated for a couple of hours separately before serving.
  4. Toss the salad with the dressing right before serving.

Notes

  • Grilled Chicken: this salad would be delicious with grilled chicken pieces tossed in or served alongside.
  • Make Ahead: also, the salad can be made up to two days in advance.
  • Dressing: store the dressing in a container, the pasta base in a container and add the spinach and dressing to the pasta right before serving.
  • Cheese: if you can’t find smoked mozzarella, many other cheeses could be subbed – regular mozz, fontina, feta – the options could be endless with this salad!

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Serving Calories 349kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 48g (16%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 11g (17%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Cholesterol 22mg (7%) Sodium 1117mg (47%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 3g (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6-8 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 349

% Daily Value*

Serving 1 Serving
Calories 349kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 48g 16%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 22mg 7%
Sodium 1117mg 47%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 3g 6%

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