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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 90 Minutes |
Ready In: 90 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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This quick and easy pasta salad is full of zippy flavors reminiscent of vegetarian antipasto platters. Adding some goat cheese crumbles at just the right time gives a wonderful, slightly creamy texture to the end dish. Ingredients:
1lb rotini or similar pasta, dry |
2-3 bell peppers, diced(should equal about 1 cup) |
1 medium onion, diced(about 3/4-1cup) |
1/2 cup sliced mixed greek or italian olives |
4-5 peppadews, diced(or sub about 1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, if desired) |
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped |
4oz goat cheese, crumbled |
for red wine vinaigrette |
1/4 cup red wine vinegar(with garlic, if possible) |
juice from about 1/2 lemon |
1 cup salad quality olive oil |
1-2t honey |
1t dijon |
1t dried oregano(or sub 2t fresh, minced, but add it to the salad, not the dressing) |
1/4-1t red pepper flakes |
1 clove garlic, crushed(omit if using garlic vinegar) |
kosher or sea salt and fresh ground pepper |
Directions:
1. Cook pasta per package directions until JUST al dente. At about the halfway point of the pasta being done, add the onions and bell peppers to the pasta in the boiling water.
2. Drain pasta and veggies when done.
3. Add to large serving bowl and add olives, peppadews and basil and toss to combine.
4. Add vinaigrette(you may not use it all, just use to taste:) from below and goat cheese and fold or toss together. The cheese will melt into the dressing and create a great additional flavor to the salad.
5. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and toss again prior to serving.
6. For Red Wine Vinaigrette
7. Combine all ingredients other than oil in medium bowl and slowly drizzle in oil, whisking constantly, until well combined and emulsified, OR do as above but use a blender, OR combine all ingredients in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and shake the bejesus out of it for a couple of minutes :)
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