Italian chopped pasta salad

Have you ever tried field roast? It’s a meat alternative that’s made with whole food ingredients including grains, vegetables, legumes and spices! I made this salad for my partner and I, and he couldn’t believe it wasn’t actual meat.

I use it in this recipe to make an Italian chopped salad dish with pasta, provolone, roasted chickpeas, bell peppers, cucumber, marinated red onions, and a white balsamic dijon dressing with oregano! You could absolutely use regular sausage if you’d prefer.

This was so insanely good I can’t even tell you how excited I am to eat it again for my lunch the next 3-4 days, and can’t wait for you to try it! It’s the perfect meal prep recipe: full of color, high in protein, balanced, and holds up well over a few days. Hope you love it! xo

ingredients

2 cups elbow noodles (or whatever pasta you prefer!)

1/2 thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 can chickpeas

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp red pepper flakes

3 persian cucumbers, diced

1 cup diced provolone

2 red bell peppers, diced

9 oz sausage (I used 3 links of plant-based Italian garlic and fennel field roast sausage)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp dijon

1 tsp dried oregano

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

recipe (makes 5 servings)

1. preheat oven to 350F

2. open can of chickpeas, drain and rinse, lay flat on a sheet pan, and pat dry

3. add 1 tbsp olive oil to chickpeas, along with paprika and sea salt

4. toss to coat, and place into the oven for 30 mins

5. boil water and cook elbow noodles according to instructions on package

6. add thinly sliced onions to a small mixing bowl with white wine vinegar and sea salt, let marinade and set aside

7. cut sausage into 1/4” thick pieces, add them to frying pan over high heat with olive oil spray

8. cook sausages on both sides until browned, around ~8-10 mins

9. to a large mixing bowl add cooked pasta, diced bell pepper, diced cucumber, roasted chickpeas, diced provolone cheese, marinated red onions, and cooked sausages

10. use the leftover white wine vinegar from the red onion marinade as the base of the dressing, and add 1 tbsp olive oil, dijon, oregano, lemon, and salt and pepper to taste

11. whisk dressing together and pour over salad

12. toss to coat with dressing, and enjoy!

prep time: 30 mins

nutrition per serving: 668 calories, 33g protein, 80g carbohydrate, 20g fat, 9g fiber.