Peas and Pepper Pasta Salad

P is for Peas, Peppers, Parsley and Pasta!

 We’re up to the letter P in the Alphabet Challenge, and I knew right away that this Peas and Pepper Pasta Salad was the perfect pick! It’s light, colorful, and packed with fresh flavor—just the way I like to eat this time of year.

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What You’ll Need

 

• Acini de pepe pasta

• Mini sweet peppers

• Radishes

• Fresh peas 

• Red & green onions 

• Parsley

• Creamy Caesar dressing

• Salt & pepper

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How To Make It 

This pasta salad comes together in just a few simple steps:

1. Cook the pasta: Prepare the acini de pepe according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain well again. 

    

2. Dice the peppers, radishes, and green and red onions into 1/4-inch pieces, and finely chop the parsley.

    

3. Combine everything: In a large bowl, mix the pasta, chopped vegetables, and fresh peas.

    

4. Dress and season: Add the creamy Caesar dressing, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.

    

5. Let it rest: Allow the salad to sit for at least 15 minutes so the flavors can come together. Top with thinly sliced radishes, if desired, just before serving.

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Tips & Tricks

• Let the flavors develop: While this salad is ready in about 15 minutes, it tastes even better after a couple of hours in the fridge. Just give it a quick toss before serving.

• Don't want to cut the veggies by hand? In a food processor, pulse the peppers, parsley, radishes, red onion, and green onions until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides as needed to get everything evenly processed.

• Make it a main: Add diced grilled chicken, shrimp, or even canned chickpeas to turn it into a complete meal.

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FAQs

Can I use a different dressing?
Yes! Ranch, pesto buttermilk, or even ginger dressing would be great.

What if I don’t have acini de pepe?
Orzo or ditalini are great swaps—any small pasta will work.

Can I prep this in advance?
Absolutely! It holds up well in the fridge for a day or two. Just give it a quick stir before serving.

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This one is extra special to me because it comes from my middle school teacher, Ann Sheehy, who is also a fellow Taste of Home Community Cook. If you make it, be sure to leave a star rating on the recipe card below, I love seeing which recipes you're enjoying!

Thanks again to Wendy for hosting this fun challenge! Be sure to scroll down to see what the other bloggers are sharing for the letter P.  And if you want to catch up on everything I’ve made so far, you can find all my recipes here: Alphabet Challenge 2025.

Peas and Pepper Pasta Salad

Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal

Ingredients

• 16oz Acini de Pepe pasta
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped miniature sweet peppers
• 1 cup loosely packed parsley
• 4 radishes, trimmed and quartered
• 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 green onions in 1" pieces
• 1 3/4 cups fresh peas
• 1/2 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• Thinly sliced radishes (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well.
2. Place peppers, parsley, radishes and onions in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. In a large bowl, combine pasta, chopped vegetables and peas. Add dressing, salt and pepper, toss to coat.
4. Let stand for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Top with sliced radishes if desired.

Notes

Source: Taste of Home, submitted by Ann Sheehy, no longer available online

Recommended Products

OXO Pepper Grinder

OXO Good Grips Vegetable Chopper, White

Other recipes you may enjoy:

Sweet Peas Parma

Perfect Parsley Pesto

Pesto Pasta & Potatoes

peas and pepper pasta salad, acini de pepe pasta salad, creamy pasta salad, no mayo pasta salad, summer pasta salad, potluck pasta salad

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