Description
A quick and refreshing basil lemon pasta salad. This 15-minute recipe features a zesty lemon dressing, fresh basil, and crunchy pine nuts, perfect for a summer side dish or light lunch.
Ingredients
1 pound pasta {shown with campanelle}
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
8 cracks black pepper or to taste
⅓ cup pine nuts
1/2 cup parmesan shavings
¼ cup fresh basil sliced thin
Instructions
1. In a large pot of salty water, bring noodles to a boil and prepare al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to shock pasta.
2. Meanwhile, combine white wine vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice in a jar and shake well.
3. In a large bowl toss pasta with dressing and pine nuts. Add fresh cracked pepper, basil and parmesan flakes.
4. Refrigerate 2+ hours before serving.
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If the pasta seems dry, refresh it with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Variations: Use walnuts or toasted almonds instead of pine nuts. Add chickpeas or shredded rotisserie chicken for extra protein. Use any short pasta like fusilli, bow tie, or penne.
Tips: Prepare noodles al dente to prevent them from getting mushy. Shocking the pasta with cold water is essential to stop the cooking and prevent clumping.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 12
- Category: Side Dish, Salad, Lunch
- Method: Boiling, Mixing
- Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: approx 1 cup
- Calories: 212
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 35mg
- Fat: 9g
- Protein: 7g