Spring Garden Pasta Salad (Printable)

Vibrant pasta with broccoli, peas, cherry tomatoes, all coated in a lemon-herb dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta such as fusilli, penne, or farfalle

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
03 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
06 - 1 small cucumber, diced

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

14 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
15 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. In the final 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets and peas to the pot. Drain everything together and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dill, parsley, salt, and pepper until well combined.
03 - Add the drained pasta, broccoli, peas, cherry tomatoes, spring onions, and cucumber to the bowl containing the dressing. Toss gently to ensure all components are evenly coated.
04 - Transfer the salad to a serving platter or bowl. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts if desired.
05 - Serve immediately for optimal texture, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours to allow flavors to meld together.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It actually gets better sitting in the fridge, so you can make it ahead and stress less.
  • The lemon-herb dressing is so punchy that even the simplest vegetables feel exciting.
  • It's the kind of dish that works for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike at the same table.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta in cold water is essential—if you skip it, the residual heat will keep cooking everything and turn your vegetables to mush.
  • Don't dress the salad too far ahead unless you like it softer; the pasta continues to absorb liquid and tomatoes release their juice, so the flavors deepen but the crunch fades after about 2 hours.
03 -
  • Tear your herbs by hand instead of chopping them with a knife—it bruises them less and they stay fresher tasting in the dressing.
  • If you're serving this hours later, hold back a little of the dressing and toss it in right before serving so the pasta doesn't get waterlogged.
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