Recipe

For late-summer family gatherings or picnics, a make-ahead, flavor-packed cold main dish is ideal. This Italian-inspired pasta salad is hearty, with crisp vegetables complementing the richness of sausage. The Geedel vegetable chopper makes prepping large quantities of vegetables a quick and enjoyable task.

Ingredients:  

400g spiral or bowtie pasta  

400g Italian sweet sausage  

1 red bell pepper  

1 yellow bell pepper  

½ red onion  

150g cherry tomatoes  

200g mozzarella balls  

¼ cup fresh basil leaves  

For the dressing:  

½ cup extra virgin olive oil  

¼ cup red wine vinegar  

1 garlic clove, crushed  

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard  

1 teaspoon dried oregano  

Salt, black pepper  

Instructions:

1. Prepare the vegetables:  

   Seed and cut the bell peppers into chunks; cut the red onion into chunks. Using the slap chopper with the dicing blade, place bell pepper chunks in the container and press lightly 3–4 times until neatly diced. Repeat with the red onion. Manual chopping better preserves the vegetables’ texture.

2. Cook the main ingredients:

   Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain, rinse, and cool. Pan-fry the sausage until cooked, then slice. Halve the cherry tomatoes. If the mozzarella balls are large, cut them in half.

3. Make the dressing:  

   In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, crushed garlic, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper until emulsified.

4. Combine the salad:  

   In a large salad bowl, mix the cooled pasta, sliced sausage, all diced vegetables, tomatoes, and mozzarella. Pour the dressing over and toss gently to combine.

5. Chill and serve:  

   Tear fresh basil leaves and sprinkle over the salad. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld. Drizzle with a little more olive oil before serving. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, making it perfect for meal prep.

Summary:  

This party-friendly pasta salad benefits from the Geedel manual vegetable chopper for quick, even vegetable cuts, ensuring every bite has balanced texture and flavor. Manual operation is especially practical for handling large quantities of ingredients, making it a reliable choice for family gatherings.