Each recipe on our site is part of a meal, which, in turn, is part of a new set of seasonally-themed breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, released each week. As a member (free), you have access to each week’s 8+ meals and their corresponding recipes.
Learn more by hovering over each or read more info on the Sign Up page.
Get more recipes like this one. Sign up today at www.Lillys-Table.com!
Prep
Difficulty
Easy
Time
Estimate
30 mins
1. Boil water.
2. Chop all of the veggies + fruit for both salads.
3. Make the dressing.
4. Boil the pasta and cool.
5. Toss each salad and serve.
Creamy pasta salad gets a sophisticated upgrade with jewel cherries and crispy snap peas. Cauliflower gives it a nearly hidden veg, while the pickles give a flavor boost. The creamy dressing can be made dairy free by substituting all-mayonnaise or even vegan with your favorite veganaise style mayo. Walnuts are a great trade for the cheddar or swiss. If for some reason you are not into mayo, greek yogurt can be the entire dressing; maybe whirl in a bit of olive oil for a little extra body and flavor.
Some of us are blessed with early Spring weather that lends baby green vegetables, while other’s may still be scraping snow off their sidewalks and slowly making first attempts to plant seeds. So this salad will evolve throughout the season, throughout the world. Toss together nature’s treats and use this recipe as a guideline for preparing & storing them.
Heavenly basil & lemon make a simple blended dressing. To make the color last longer and brighter, blanch the basil leaves briefly and plunge in ice water. Otherwise, keep it simple by just blending these ingredients and using immediately. Blending extra-virgin olive oil can sometimes cause the flavor to be bitter. That is why a neutral oil is recommended. If you prefer to use olive oil, blend the ingredients without it and whisk it in slowly afterwards.
