Bowtie Pasta Salad
Let’s just get to it with this bowtie pasta salad situation – a lemon and pea pasta salad that’s everything you want and nothing you don’t!
Oh, spring foods and produce! I’m a year round produce lover – no surprise there – but spring and summer are kind of my favorites. I’m a sucker for watermelon, strawberries, and tomatoes. I can’t help it, I’m sorry.
Spring and summer produce tend to be so full of flavor and they usually require little work to enjoy. Of course, I’ll put in the bit of time for the winter root veggies, but there’s just something about now through September-ish that makes my fruit and veggie-loving self so very happy.
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Bowtie Pasta Salad
Pasta salad in the traditional sense is so heavy and so unhealthy. In addition to the carby pasta (it is what it is, party people!), they’re usually coated in a heavy, creamy mayo-based dressing and if you’re lucky have some finely chopped scallions or something thrown in.
Besides being comfort food for some (it’s never been my cup of tea), there’s really no food value in that setup, but I’m also a firm believer that a mayo-free pasta salad can be just as delicious!
So how do you make a healthy pasta salad? Load it up with veggies and make an olive-oil based dressing! For this pea pasta salad, the bright flavors come from the fresh peas, lemon zest and juice, and great olive oil. There’s even some parmesan cheese in there for an extra level of tastiness!
How to cook pasta for pasta salad
Ok. It’s not too complicated, but while normally pasta cooking directions call for a consistency that’s al dente – cooked but with some bite to it. For pasta salad, you should actually be cooking to pasta beyond al dente for a softer texture. When it’s served cool or even room temp, that ‘bite’ just becomes chewy, hard pasta.
After you’ve drained it, you can do two things to prevent pasta from sticking while it cools. First, you can drizzle it with olive oil and mix it all around. This prevents the pasta from sticking. Second, you can put the pasta out on a plate or sheet to keep the noodles separate. I opt for the first for ease of cleaning (and because i love olive oil).
If you’re looking for other healthy pasta salads, try this spinach pasta salad and this orzo pesto salad – a surefire hit at any table. Any of these salads can be made into a small meal or served as a side dish. My favorite thing in the hot, summer months!
Fresh vs. Frozen Peas?
Ok. But this pea pasta salad. First of all, the recipe calls for fresh peas – because it’s pea season and they’re so dang good.
You can always use frozen peas. Just let them defrost (see my note below about how to defrost frozen peas). A note on the frozen peas, however. Be sure to look at the ingredients. Even if you can skip the usual nonsense, there’s usually salt added. And frankly, I like adding my own salt. A lot of my own salt, never fret, but my own nevertheless.
And remember for lemon zest, you want to use organic lemons. I like to steal them from friends with trees if I can, but I’m not always so lucky!
How to Thaw Frozen Peas for Pasta Salad
When thawing frozen peas for this pasta salad, I usually measure out what I need and then lay them on a plate or sheet pan to defrost. If they have ice on them, then I’ll put them into a strainer over a bowl to let any extra water drain off.
Leftover Pasta Salad
One of the things I do totally love about bowtie pasta salad, however, is that it is great for more than one meal. I love nibbling it cold from the fridge. It’s great reheated really, but on those hot, summer days, just straight out of the fridge it is for me!!
Because there’s no dairy in the sauce for this dish, it’s also an easy one to pack up for a picnic or lunch at work. There is parmesan, but you can either omit that until serving or keep it all refrigerated until lunch! It’s also a heavenly side dish for grilled chicken– warm or cold.
Can Pasta Salad Be Frozen?
Not well! The consistency of pasta can change. Creamy dressing will separate and never truly mix back together in the same way. This oil-based dressing can be frozen, but most places recommend you do it separately. Since this bowtie pasta salad recipe is so easy, I think it’s safe to say that just making the dressing before serving is easiest.
Want some other good pasta recipes? This tuna pasta recipe is easy, inexpensive and delicious! Simpler versions (great as a side dish too) are pasta and peas, this one pot summer veggie pasta that my family adores, and this cabbage pasta recipe that’s great for sneaking in veggies!
On the lighter side, this fresh cherry tomato pasta with ricotta is divine and this creamy vegan broccoli pasta is heartier than you’d ever expect from a plant-based meal!
Bowtie Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly shelled spring peas*
- 3 green onions sliced
- 12 ounces bowtie pasta cooked and cooled
- 3 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the peas and cook for 60 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a large bowl filled with 1 cup of ice water for 1 minute. Drain the water from the peas. Add the green onions and pasta to the bowl and stir well.
- In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pour over the pasta salad and toss to coat.
- Stir in the Parmesan and chill until ready to serve.
Notes
Made this recipe?
I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and rating below.
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This is great in winter too! Use frozen petite sweet peas. I love taking a taste summer to brighten up a grey day. You will too.
This is the perfect summer pasta salad! I love sneaking in some extra veggies into our meals and it’s such a fresh flavor!
Pasta, lemon, peas, and Parmesan… some of my favorites! Such a great combo of flavors especially this time of year.
You had me at peas 🤩 This recipe is super easy and of course delicious! Perfect for the season right now…thanks for sharing!
This is such a fresh and summery recipe!
This looks like such a light and fresh pasta dish. Perfect for Spring!