Spaghetti Salad – a family favorite!
Spaghetti Salad is what you make for dinner when you’ve got loads of fresh produce but you’re craving comfy carbs (sound familiar?)…this easy season spanning recipe combines hot garlicky pasta with a refreshing tomato, garden bean, and corn salad.
You’re going to thank me for this one, not only is it super delish, healthy, and family friendly, but the very idea is so appealing – when you combine hot pasta with a cool crisp salad the effect is wonderful. There are lots of contrasting temps, textures, and flavors going on and it brings something a little different to the table: always a good thing.
A simple red wine vinaigrette ties everything together and keeps this dish simple.
I dress the hot pasta with half of it, then the fresh veggies with the rest. If you serve it asap, you’ll get that lovely contrast of temperatures, but you can just as well serve the whole thing at room temperature, or chilled.
Ingredients:
dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
Salad
- 1/2 lb spaghetti
- 2 cups blanched or lightly steamed green and yellow beans, cut in 1 to 2 inch pieces
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half, or quarters
- 2 ears steamed corn, kernels removed
- 1/4 small red onion, slivered
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (instructions in the notes below)
- basil leaves
- baby lettuce leaves, optional