Summer Pasta Salad With Baby Greens (Printer-friendly)

A refreshing pasta dish featuring crisp vegetables, tender baby greens, and zesty lemon-herb dressing for warm days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 8 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
02 - Salt, for the pasta water

→ Vegetables & Greens

03 - 3.5 oz baby mixed greens (arugula, baby spinach, baby kale, or a mix)
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
12 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
13 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
15 - 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp dried basil)

→ Garnish (optional)

16 - 1.5 oz crumbled feta cheese
17 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds

# How to Prepare:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside to cool.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the baby greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey, salt, pepper, and basil until emulsified.
04 - Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the vegetables and greens.
05 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
06 - Top with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds, if using. Serve immediately, or chill for 30 minutes for enhanced flavor.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lemon-herb dressing wakes up everything it touches, making vegetables taste like they were picked moments ago
  • This travels beautifully to potlucks and actually tastes better after the flavors have had time to become friends
  • You can throw it together in 30 minutes but it looks like you spent all afternoon thinking about it
02 -
  • The dressing needs to hit the salad while everything is still at room temperature for optimal flavor absorption
  • Let it rest for 15 minutes before serving, but dont wait longer than an hour or the greens will start to look tired
  • This recipe doubles beautifully and keeps in the fridge for two days, though the greens will gradually soften
03 -
  • Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden and fragrant, then let them cool completely before adding
  • The salad tastes infinitely better if you let it sit for 30 minutes before serving, giving flavors time to mingle

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