Creamy Pasta Salad With Lemon Dressing
This tasty pasta salad features a colorful assortment of zucchini, sweet bell peppers, grape tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, and a creamy dressing made with fresh lemon juice and zest to tie everything together.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta farfalle, rotini, penne
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium zucchini cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 red or orange bell pepper cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 2 tablespoons half-and-half or light cream
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing by combining the olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, half-and-half, and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk until well blended.
- Put a pot of salted water on to boil, cook and drain the pasta according to the package directions, then transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
- Add about half of the dressing to the pasta, combine well, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Add the zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, parsley, and feta cheese to the pasta and combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Stir in the remaining dressing and set the pasta salad aside for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. You can also cover and refrigerate it at this point to serve later (see notes).
- Just before serving, taste for seasoning one last time and make any needed adjustments. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and top with some freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Make-Ahead Tips
This pasta salad can easily be completed ahead of time and refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 24 hours. For best flavor, remove from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before you want to serve, and follow the finishing instructions in step #6 above.Recipe Variations:
ADD A PROTEIN: Turn this pasta salad into an easy dinner by adding grilled chicken or shrimp, hard-boiled eggs, or even chickpeas for a vegetarian alternative. SWITCH UP THE VEGGIES: Cauliflower or broccoli florets, diced carrots, and blanched green beans are all great alternatives to the zucchini and bell peppers. TRY DIFFERENT CHEESES: Crumbled goat cheese would work in place of the feta in this dish as would fresh mozzarella cut into small cubes, especially if you opt to add some fresh basil to the dressing. ADD MORE FRESH HERBS: Other fresh herbs like dill, basil, or even tarragon could be added to the dressing for extra flavor.Nutrition
Calories: 293 | Total Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 805mg | Carbohydrates: 16g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Protein: 8g