Spinach Balsamic Pasta Salad
Fresh, light, tangy, and satisfying. This pasta salad comes together in about as long as it takes the pasta to cook, making it a great make-ahead lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- 8 oz cavatappi or other pasta shape
- 4 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
- 1 cup shredded/matchstick carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- 1/2 cup canola oil or other neutral flavored oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 8 minutes. When finished, strain and rinse immediately with cool water.
- While the pasta is cooking, chop the veggies and add everything to a large bowl. Add the strained and rinsed pasta to the bowl. Toss to combine.
- To make the dressing, blend the oil, vinegar, and spices in a blender until emulsified, 10 - 15 seconds. An immersion blender works well for this.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. You can serve this pasta salad right away, or put it in the fridge and let the flavors develop for a few hours.