Ingredients
- 8 ounces, cooked Short Pasta
- 0.5 cup, halved Grape Tomatoes
- 0.3 cup, pitted Olives
- 0.25 cup, toasted Pine Nuts
- handful Fresh Basil Leaves
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 0.5 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 teaspoons Honey
Directions
The perfect pasta salad is simple, colorful and as a great homemade vinaigrette.
This recipe happens to be vegetarian, vegan and dairy free.
Any short pasta shape works well for pasta salad. I like going for a fun shape that’s visually appealing and easy to pierce with the fork.
For the fresh element, grape tomatoes are great. Not only do they come in multiple colors but they are juicy and slightly sweet!
Pitted olives add a bit of brininess and interest to the salad. Pick any olive you personally like or for olive beginners, a nice green and buttery olive like Castelvetrano or Frescatrano are perfect.
All salads need a fatty aspect. In this case, toasted pine nuts are superior. Lightly toasting the pine nuts brings out the aroma and really enhance the flavor.
Herbs are always a great idea for any dish, especially a fresh salad. To keep with the Mediterranean theme, fresh basil leaves not only look good but add a sweet and fresh aroma as well.
Lastly, the salad dressing that I prefer for this salad is a vibrant and zesty lemon vinaigrette.
It’s so easy to make and levels above any store-bough dressing.
You will need a jar with a lid and a small handful of ingredients which you probably already have at home!
Try this pasta salad and leave your review below.
For any comments or questions, send me a direct message via Instagram!
Steps
1 Done | Cook Pasta and Prep IngredientsBring a pot of water to a boil, season with salt (2 teaspoons is sufficient) then boil uncovered according to package directions. For a pasta salad, I recommend cooking until soft, not al-dente. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and allow to cool. While the pasta is cooking and cooling, wash and halve the grape tomatoes, get the other ingredients out. Next, lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet on medium heat until golden. Be sure to move the pine nuts around the skillet frequently to avoid burning. |
2 Done | Make Lemon VinaigretteTo a jar with a lid, add the vinaigrette ingredients then seal and shake until emulsified. |
3 Done | Plate The Pasta SaladAdd the cooked and cooled pasta to a serving platter or salad bowl. Next, top with the halved grape tomatoes, pitted olives, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil leaves. Tear the basil leaves if they are too large. Lastly, give the vinaigrette one more shake then drizzle over the salad. Toss lightly then serve. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. |
