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Easy Summer Pasta Salad

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Pasta Salad Ingredients

  • 1 pound bowtie or fusilli pasta
  • 1 ½ cups peas
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 zucchinis trimmed and chopped into ½ inch cubes
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 big handfuls of spinach
  • 3 ounces grated asiago cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup basil leaves loosely packed

Lemon Basil Dressing Ingredients

  • 1 clove of garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 10 leaves of basil sliced or torn

Instructions

Pasta Salad Instructions

  1. Make dressing below and set aside.
  2. Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in pan. Add zucchini and cook until brown, about 5 min. Add garlic, balsamic and a pinch of salt. Cook for an additional 1 minute. Set aside to cool.
  3. Boil pasta according to instructions on bag. Add peas when the pasta has about 3 minutes left to cook. When finished, strain and run under cold water to stop cooking.
  4. Add pasta and peas to a big bowl and add zucchini, spinach and grated asiago cheese. Pour dressing on top and stir to combine. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary. Top with torn basil leaves.

Lemon Basil Dressing Instructions

  1. Whisk garlic with Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Pour in olive oil, while whisking constantly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and then stir in basil. Leave aside to set until ready to use.