Spring Garden Pasta Salad (Printable)

Vibrant pasta with spring vegetables and lemon-herb dressing, ideal for light lunches or outdoor meals.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
03 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
06 - 1 small cucumber, diced

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

14 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
15 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
02 - In the final 2 minutes of pasta cooking, add broccoli florets and peas to the pot. Drain everything together and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, dill, parsley, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
04 - Add drained pasta, broccoli, peas, cherry tomatoes, spring onions, and cucumber to the bowl. Toss gently to coat evenly with dressing.
05 - Transfer to serving platter or bowl. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and toasted pine nuts if using.
06 - Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 4 hours to allow flavors to meld together.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the rare dish that actually tastes fresher and brighter the next day, making it perfect for meal prep without tasting like leftovers.
  • You can throw it together in under 30 minutes, which means you can go from "I have nothing prepared" to "look what I made" faster than most people expect.
  • The lemon-herb dressing is so versatile you'll find yourself making extra just to toss over roasted vegetables or grilled fish throughout the week.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cold water rinse after cooking—it stops the pasta from becoming mushy as it sits, and it also cools the vegetables so they don't wilt the dressing into nothing.
  • If you're making this more than an hour ahead, keep the cucumber separate and only add it right before serving, or it will release water and turn the whole thing watery and sad by the time you eat it.
03 -
  • If the salad looks dry when you're ready to serve it, squeeze a little extra lemon juice over it or drizzle a bit more good olive oil rather than adding water or vinegar, which will only throw off the balance.
  • Cook the pasta just slightly less than you normally would—al dente is essential here because it will soften further as it sits in the acidic dressing, and nobody wants mushy pasta salad.
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