Basil Vinaigrette + Summer Pasta Salad

|Lynn Frey

There is just something about a cold pasta salad that belongs at every summer picnic.

A couple of weekends ago, I found myself craving one, so I headed out to the garden to harvest a few fresh vegetables. I came back inside, grabbed the pasta, and then opened the refrigerator to pull out a bottle of dressing.

That's when I stopped.

I looked at the bottle and thought, Why am I reaching for this when we have fresh basil growing right outside the door?

We got in the kitchen this week and did just that - we made our own basil vinaigrette.

Goodness... it was so worth it.

That fresh basil packs so much flavor into every bite. Toss it together with colorful garden vegetables and pasta, and suddenly an ordinary pasta salad becomes something special. Bright, fresh, and full of summer.

This is the kind of dish that's perfect to pass at a picnic or family gathering, but honestly, we found ourselves grabbing little bowlfuls throughout the evening while we were winding down after a day in the garden.

Sometimes all it takes is one simple change to turn a good recipe into one you'll make again and again.

0 comments

Leave a comment

Basil Vinaigrette + Summer Pasta Salad

Skip the bottled dressing and let fresh basil shine in this Garden Fresh Pasta Salad! Tossed with crisp garden vegetables and a homemade basil vinaigrette, every bite is bright, fresh, and full of summer flavor. It's the perfect dish for picnics, potlucks, or snacking straight from the fridge.

Author
Lynn Frey
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Category

Supper

Ingredients

  • 1-2 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • ½ Cup Avocado Oil
  • 2 T. Red Wine Vinegar
  • 2 tsp. Lemon Juice
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 Box Pasta
  • 1 Batch of Basil Vinaigrette
  • All the Garden Fresh Vegetables of Your Choice.
  • Couple Handfuls of Pepperoni, Optional
  • Couple Handfuls of Parm. Cheese, Optional

Directions

  1. Place all the vinaigrette items into a small blender and pulse until smooth. Add more oil to reach desired consistency.
  2. Cook pasta according box instructions.
  3. White pasta cooks prep all your vegetables. Cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, onions, etc. Whatever you have growing in your gardens that you enjoy eating raw.
  4. When you drain your pasta - run it under cold water to stop the cooking and to cool it down.
  5. Add pasta and vegetables to bowl. Add in pepperoni and shredded parmemsan cheese. Pour the dressing over top and give it a good stir. Add more salt and pepper, if needed.