Pasta Salad with Peas, Parmesan, and Lemon
Enjoy the vibrant combination of tender pasta, crunchy snow peas, sweet peas, tangy lemon, and parmesan in this delightful summer pasta salad recipe.
The addition of fresh herbs adds a burst of freshness, and pea shoots (or parsley) add a lovely touch of green.
It’s a perfect side dish to enjoy during the warmer months when peas are in season, or in winter, simply use frozen peas.
Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Ingredients
- 400g pasta, such as small shells, rigatoni, fusilli
- Sea salt
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced
- 3 print onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
- 1/3 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 300g snow peas
- 2 cups peas (Either fresh or frozen)
- 120g parmesan, pecorino, grated into flakes
- 1/2 cup parsley and mint
- basil and mint leaves to serve
Instructions
Step 1: Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Dressing
In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, sliced spring onions, olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Mix the ingredients together until well combined.
Step 3: Prepare the Vegetables and Herbs
If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool them down.Halve the snap peas lengthwise.
Coarsely chop the herbs.
Step 4: Assemble the Salad
Add the cooked pasta to the bowl with the dressing.
Add the snap peas, peas, coarsely flaked cheese, chopped herbs, and pea shoots (or parsley tender stems and leaves).
Toss all the ingredients together until they are well coated with the dressing.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.
Step 5: Chill and Serve
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
Before serving, give the salad a final toss to ensure all the ingredients are well mixed. Add the basil leaves and mint leaves to the top of the salad to garnish.
Serve the summer pasta salad chilled as a refreshing side dish or light main course.