Description
A refreshing vegetarian pasta salad with citrus and herbs, perfect for warm weather.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 21/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 11/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/21/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/21/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 lb (225g) penne pasta
- 2 cups (60g) baby spinach
- 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 small bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (75g) crumbled feta
- 1/2 cup (75g) Kalamata olives, halved
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Cook & Cool Pasta: Start by boiling a pot of water to cook your penne pasta until it is al dente. You’ll want to keep an eye out for it to be tender but firm to the bite. Once that’s done, drain it and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and keep it from clumping together.
- Whisk Up Dressing: In a bowl, whisk together your olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and lemon zest until it is nice and smooth. You should smell the fresh herbs mingling with the citrus.
- Add Veggies & Pasta: Now, toss your cooled penne pasta with the diced bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion. Check for any leftover pieces of pasta that might be sticking together; a good toss can help separate them.
- Mix in Dressing: Drizzle your freshly made dressing over the pasta mix and toss everything together. Be cautious not to drown the salad in dressing; a little goes a long way to keep it light and fresh.
- Stir in Spinach Last: Just before serving, add in the baby spinach and give it a gentle stir. You want those greens to stay crisp and not wilt.
- Chill & Serve: Finally, let your salad chill in the fridge for a bit to allow the flavors to meld beautifully. When you are ready to serve, give it a quick stir to refresh those flavors.
Notes
- Best consumed within the first two days; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- If pasta sticks together after cooking, adding the dressing while it is still warm can help separate the noodles.
- When preparing in advance, keeping the spinach separate until serving will help avoid a soggy texture.
- If the salad tastes a bit bland, a pinch of salt or an extra splash of lemon juice can make a noticeable difference.
- For a gluten-free option, consider swapping penne with your favorite gluten-free pasta variety.
- When using fresh herbs instead of dried, doubling the amount can brighten the salad and add depth to the flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: null
- Sugar: null
- Sodium: null
- Fat: null
- Saturated Fat: null
- Unsaturated Fat: null
- Trans Fat: null
- Carbohydrates: null
- Fiber: null
- Protein: null
- Cholesterol: null