Swiss Cheese and Bean Salad

A tasty two bean pasta salad with ripe olives, cherry tomatoes, zucchini and cubes of Swiss cheese tossed in a spicy honey-mustard vinaigrette.

Recipe Ingredients:

4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup small pasta shells, cooked and drained
1 (16-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (2 cups cooked)
1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (2 cups cooked)
1 cup sliced ripe olives, drained
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup diced zucchini
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups (8 ounces) Wisconsin Swiss cheese, cubed

Vinaigrette:
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
Salt, to taste
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Cooking Directions:

1. Place water and salt in 6 quart pot and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, shock in cold water to stop cooking, and drain again.
2. Place olive oil in sauté pan and add zucchini and garlic; cook until just soft. Mix all ingredients and toss with the vinaigrette. Allow salad to sit an hour to let flavors blend.
3. For Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients; whisk together with a wire whip.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.