Pasta salad is the perfect summer meal– it’s satisfying, cool, and easy to make. Despite this, it’t not always the healthiest option. For this “recipe” I tried to healthify (I’m making this a word) your classic pasta salad by subbing the mayo for some other creamy and flavorful ingredients I already had lying around in the fridge. Using a whole wheat pasta also boosts the healthiness. I added some of my favorite veggies that are easy to incorporate and taste good cold, but you can add whatever vegetables you like. I think chopped celery, broccoli, and bell pepper would be great. For the dressing, I mixed together tahini, dijon mustard, olive oil, and nutritional yeast. If you’re not familiar with nutritional yeast, it’s deactivated yeast. It looks like a yellow flaky powder. It sounds strange, but vegans swear by it because it is an amazing substitute for cheese. It has a cheesy, nutty flavor. I sprinkle this stuff on everything– pasta, vegetables, potatoes, salad. You can find it in the bulk bin at Whole Foods or in shakeable containers in any other grocery store. I would definitely recommend giving it a try.
This was the perfect meal to bring with me for lunch, even on a hot and humid summer day. It’s also easy to cook in a big batch to save for the week. Just boil two or three boxes of pasta and make extra dressing and you’re good to go. Cheers to eating pasta and being healthy.
Ready in: 20 minutes
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients:
- box of pasta
- spinach (1 container/bag)
- cherry tomatoes (1 container)
for the dressing
- tahini (3 tablespoons)
- dijon mustard (1 tablespoon)
- nutritional yeast (2 tablespoons)
- olive oil (1 tablespoon)
- garlic powder (1 teaspoon)
- salt and pepper
Supplies:
- large pot
- baking sheet
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 400° on the “broil” setting (so the heat only comes from above) and start boiling a pot of water for the pasta. Get your cherry tomatoes ready to roast. (I don’t usually like tomatoes but they are really good roasted!) Cut them in half and arrange them on a baking sheet. Coat them in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place them in the oven for around 12 minutes. Keep an eye on them until they look roasted and a little shriveled up. (I like it when there are some extra roasty burnt spots.)
- When the water is boiled, start cooking the pasta according to the directions.
- While your tomatoes are roasting and the pasta is boiling, prepare the dressing. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. The mixture will be thick and not sauce-like, but don’t add water because it will get thinner and creamier when you add it to the hot pasta.
- When the pasta is done boiling, strain it, rinse it with cold water for a minute, and set it aside to cool off. (Pro tip: dunk a mug into the pot before you strain the pasta to save some of the starchy water for later. It will make it easier for the dressing get incorporated). Using the same pot, cook down the spinach. Using a low heat, sauté it in a little bit of olive oil until it is all bright green and soft. Add the pasta back into the pot and add the dressing. Stir it around until the dressing is covering all the pasta.
- Add the roasted tomatoes when they are done.
photo by Lea Kriesberg