Pasta Salad with Fresh Dill
This is the IDEAL summer picnic or potluck recipe - it makes a ton of food, and there's no mayo in it - so less chance of spoilage as it heats up outside! I was looking for a great way to use fresh dill, as our herb garden has been producing TONS of fresh dill, sweet basil, purple basil, mint, and cilantro. (That's not a complaint, mind you - I'm loving the access to fresh herbs!) Anyway, I was inspired by this recipe from the Minimalist Baker to make a pasta salad. I made a few tweaks to suit my tastes and to utilize the ingredients I had on hand. Let me tell you - the dressing is divine!
Ingredients:
Pasta salad:
- 1 16 oz. box of pasta - I used 365 brand whole wheat shells from Whole Foods
- 1 organic red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 can of organic green peas
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped fine
Dressing:
- 1 aseptic package of firm silken tofu
- 3-4 tablespoons of agave nectar or cane sugar (or a combination of the two)
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5-2 tablespoons spicy mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
(*Note: I did not measure the dressing ingredients precisely. These are estimates - I tend to mix the dressing, taste, tweak, and repeat! Adjust to your liking.)
Preparation:
- Cook the pasta according to package directions.
- While the pasta is cooking, chop the veggies and put them + the dill in a large glass or stainless steel bowl.
- Put all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until thoroughly combined. (Taste and adjust, if needed!)
- Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water.
- Add the pasta to the veggies in the bowl, and add dressing.
- Mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- Enjoy! This is tasty at room temperature, but it gets even better once it is chilled and the flavors meld.