Summer Pasta Salad

With the onset of summer and backyard barbecue season, what better time to make a refreshing, bright, and colorful pasta salad? This pasta salad combines plump Roma tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, spinach, and a variety of fresh herbs for a boost of flavor. Feel free to swap certain veggies out in this recipe, or add even more depending on your preferences. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

Salad:

• I cup of dried pasta (I used farfalle, but you can use other pasta shapes of a similar size.)

• 3 mini, seedless cucumbers

• 3 Roma tomatoes

• 2 cups of spinach

• 2 sprigs of basil

• 2 sprigs of parsley

• 1 green onion
  

Dressing:

• 1/8 cup olive oil

• 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• Juice of one lemon + zest

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 2 garlic cloves - minced

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

1. In a medium pot, boil 2 cups of water and add a strong pinch of salt.

2. Add pasta and cook for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is slightly over al dente.

3. While the pasta cooks dice your tomatoes and cucumbers, and finely chop the basil, parsley, and green onions.

4. After the pasta is finished cooking, remove the pot from the stove and strain the pasta. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and let the pasta cool for a few minutes on the counter.

5. In the meantime, assemble the dressing. Simply combine together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.

6. Once the pasta has finished cooling, toss it together with the veggies, herbs, and dressing until the salad is fully combined.

7. Optional: garnish with freshly cracked black pepper, a squig of olive oil, a pinch of flaky salt,

8. Dig in and enjoy!

Bon Appétit!