Gen's Refreshing Summer Pasta Salad
Why I Love This Recipe
Featuring: Basil, cucumber, tomatoes, garlic scapes (or garlic), green or red pepper, onion (or scallions), pattypan squash, white turnip (rabioles = optional), and zucchini.
This is a quick and simple summer salad that is perfect for hot summer days. Kids usually like it too and you can adapt it based on what veggies you have (ex: put more zucchini if you don't have pattypan, add grated or diced carrots, etc.) Jim often add a bit of 6 years old balsamic vinegar to his bowl before eating it!
Ingredients You'll Need
500 g of pasta (fusilli or penne), cooked, drained and cooled
1 scallion (or the top of fresh onion or 1/4 of a storage onion), chopped
1 garlic scape (or 1/2 garlic clove), minced
1 medium zucchini, cut in half-quarters slices or diced
1 pattypan squash, cut in half-quarters slices or diced
1 cucumber, cut in half-quarters slices or diced
4 white turnips (rabioles), cut in half-quarters slices or diced (optional)
1 green or red pepper, seeded and chopped
A handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half (or 1-2 tomatoes, diced)
1 can of red kidney beans or lentils, rinsed (optional)
1/4-1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon (to taste)
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
Ground pepper (to taste)
1 bunch basil, chopped
Directions
Cook pasta according to instructions.
In a large glass or plastic bowl (not metal), mix the scallion, garlic scape, zucchini, pattypan, cucumber, white turnip, green pepper, and red kidney beans.
Add cooled pasta and mix well.
Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and basil. Mix well.
Refrigerate a bit (optional) and serve cold.
