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lemon basil pasta salad with foral tea towel and dressing 1

Lemon Basil Pasta Salad

Lisa Bonny
Light, fresh, summery and delicious - the perfect pasta salad for summer!
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Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz box bowtie pasta or any desired shape
  • 1 c. sugar snap peas
  • 1 c. grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 1 c. baby carrots
  • 4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
  • 1/2 c. basil olive oil
  • 3/4 c. lemon olive oil

Instructions
 

To make the pasta salad:

  • Bring a pot of water with a pinch of salt to a boil over high heat.
  • Add 12 oz of dried bowtie pasta to the water and reduce the heat to medium. Let pasta cook until al dente.
  • Drain in large colander and run cold water over pasta to stop cooking process. Pour pasta into large bowl and stir 1 tsp. olive oil in to prevent sticking.
  • While pasta is boiling, slice the carrots and halve the grape tomatoes. Place carrots in a pot of water and heat over medium for about 5 minutes.
  • Add halved tomatoes and heat for another 5 minutes.
  • Drain the water and add carrots and tomatoes to the bowl of pasta. Add fresh sugar snap peas as well.
  • If you're using a log of goat cheese, use a fork or your fingers to crumble it. Once the goat cheese is crumbled and the veggies seem cool, add  cheese to the pasta salad and stir gently.

To make the vinaigrette:

  • Measure 1/2 cup of basil olive oil and 3/4 cup of lemon balsamic vinegar in a container with a lid.
  • Close the lid and and shake the vinegar and oil vigorously together to mix well. Let sit for a minute or two and then shake again.

Notes

  • If you want a less strong basil flavor, use 1/4 cup of basil olive oil and 1/4 cup of plain olive oil. I prefer all basil, but my husband is more sensitive to the basil taste, and he prefers the half-and-half method. That's the versatility of this salad, though!
  • If you don't want to buy flavored oil and vinegar - I highly recommend it, though; I use them in everything! - you can use plain white balsamic vinegar and plain olive oil. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and fresh basil leaves torn into tiny pieces. Shake, taste, and add more lemon juice and basil to taste.