When early spring begins to show her face and salads are again appealing, it's time to throw together this dish. In summer, cherry tomatoes, banana peppers, cucumbers, and green onions can easily be subbed for the veggies listed below. But for spring, asparagus, kale, and chives are what's growing, so olives and dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers are the magic that turn simple pasta and lemon dressing into something extra special.
Recipe inspired by Southern Living.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Ingredients
for the dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 large garlic clove, pressed
- 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil or coconut oil
for the salad
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta (small shells, rotini, penne, or some mix of these are nice)
- 1 cup asparagus, chopped into bite-sized pieces. Can be raw or sautéed.
- 1 cup kale, stems removed and leaves chopped into ribbons
- 2/3 cup coarsely chopped roasted red peppers or dried tomatoes packed in oil
- 2/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and diced
- 1/4 cup chopped chives
- 2 tsp. dried dill
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
for the dressing
- Whisk together first 5 ingredients. Gradually add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until blended.
- Set aside to add to the salad or store in an air-tight container; good for about a week.
for the salad
- Prepare pasta as instructed on package. Set aside in a large serving bowl.
- Prepare vegetables and herbs. (Sauté asparagus and kale if you like.) Add to pasta.
- Pour dressing into serving bowl. Gently stir until everything is well-mixed.
- Top with feta.
- Chill for at least an hour to marry the flavors.
