Spring garden pasta salad
Discover the fresh flavors of a spring garden in this delightful pasta salad. Packed with vibrant vegetables and herbaceous dressing. Perfect for a light and flavorsome meal.
Ingredients:
- Kosher salt
- 450g whole-wheat fusilli pasta
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 bulb fennel, cored and thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups), fronds reserved
- 3 cups baby kale
- 2 cups snow peas, trimmed and halved on the bias
- 1 cup thinly sliced radishes
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Handful edible flowers, optional
- 1 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers or sweet red peppers
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 cloves roasted garlic, recipe follows, peeled
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 head garlic, cloves separated, unpeeled
Instructions:
- Start by boiling a large pot of water with some salt. Add the pasta and cook following the instructions on the package. Once cooked, drain the pasta and put it in a bowl. Mix in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and set it to the side.
- While the pasta is cooking, put the peppers, vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper, and roasted garlic in a blender. Blend the ingredients on high until the peppers become a puree and everything is mixed together. Once smooth, lower the speed and slowly pour in the olive oil to make a thick and glossy dressing.
- Pour the dressing onto the warm pasta. Add the sliced fennel and mix well. Transfer everything to a serving dish.
- In a big bowl, combine the baby kale, snow peas, radishes, and 1/4 cup of fennel fronds. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently toss everything together and place it over the pasta in the serving dish. If desired, decorate with edible flowers.
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
- Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and roast them until soft, which should take around 45 minutes. Let them cool down, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Peel them just before using them.
Summary:
- Calories: 2703 kcal
- Fat: 90 g
- Protein: 73 g
- Carbs: 403 g
- Potassium: 2813 mg
- Magnesium: 366 mg