This Lemon Pasta Salad is best served with family, friends, and a bit of sunshine.
Pasta salad is always a go to dish of mine when the weather begins to warm up. It is easy to make, plus light and delicious. This lemon pasta salad is made with a lemon dressing and topped with a dash (or more) of lemon zest and parmesan. It gives you all the good spring and summertime feelings. This is a refreshing and delightful side that all your family and friends will be talking about.
This lemon pasta salad is considered a “lighter alternative” to traditional pasta salads. It can be whipped up in under 20 minutes, but make sure you leave a few hours for it to chill to really bring the flavors to life. If you feel like personalizing yours, try using your favorite pasta like bow tie, fusilli or whatever you like! You can also replace the pine nuts with walnuts or almonds to add versatility.
This recipe is a refreshing twist on pasta salad. It’s light, lemony flavors will have you excited for summertime. After you try this, I guarantee it will become a family favorite. It features a fresh lemon sauce, with white wine vinegar providing an extra special kick. Another way you can enhance the flavors is by adding extra veggies to the recipe. I personally love adding zucchinis and peppers to mine.
These light and bright flavors will have everyone craving more. The peppery punch is a nice contrast to the acidic elements. The addition of white wine vinegar instead of white vinegar brings more of a fruity, mellow acidity. If you are a wine lover like me, you can try adding a dash of your favorite white wine as well. I love using Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio when cooking. Either way, this lemon pasta salad is one of the best and will have everyone wanting to make their own.
Choosing the Right Pasta Matters
When making pasta salad it is important to choose the best pasta type. If you use the wrong pasta your salad may turn out soggy and slimy. This recipe suggests campanelle or rotini. You can try these or any pasta that is dry and small in shape. Farfalle, fusilli, penne, and orecchiette are great additional options.
In addition to choosing the correct pasta, it is also best to use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Fresh is always better and helps the flavors really meld together. To avoid a mushy texture, you want to make sure your noodles are never overcooked. Another tip to follow is tasting before and after you chill the pasta salad. To avoid bland flavors, add additional salt when needed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shaved
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
How to Make Lemon Pasta Salad
Step 1: Bring salted water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, usually about 10-12 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Step 2: Combine the white wine vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice in a jar. Secure the lid and shake until well mixed.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled pasta with the prepared dressing. Stir in the pine nuts, adding pepper to taste.
Step 4: Sprinkle the basil and parmesan shavings over the pasta. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
Step 5: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate before serving.
FAQs & Tips
Although this is a quick recipe, make sure you leave at least 2 hours for your pasta to cool in the refrigerator before serving. You can even make it 12-24 hours ahead of time. It stores in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended.
One way to avoid the mushing of noodles is to “shock” your pasta. You can do this by rinsing your noodles with cold water to halt the cooking process. Allow your pasta to cool down before adding your dressing and other ingredients.
To avoid bland flavors, make sure you are seasoning enough. Don’t be scared to add seasoning again before serving. Cold dishes can become more muted and may need additional seasoning. You should also be careful when adding the dressing. You don’t want to ruin your dish by over or underdressing it.
Serving Suggestions
Being a lighter side makes this pasta salad perfect for pairing will those heavier main dishes. Bring this dish to pair at an afternoon picnic. Lemon pasta salad goes great with any meat, but BBQ in particular. Try having this dish on the side of pork ribs or slow cooked pork.
Although it is a great side dish, this can also be served as a stand-alone dish. It is a great lunch option and can be enhanced by adding your protein of choice. Shrimp, chicken, or salmon are other amazing options to add.
Lemon Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shaved
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
Instructions
- Bring salted water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, usually about 10-12 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Combine the white wine vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice in a jar. Secure the lid and shake until well mixed.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled pasta with the prepared dressing. Stir in the pine nuts, adding pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle the basil and parmesan shavings over the pasta. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate before serving.
