Spring Inspired Pasta Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Name: Spring Inspired Pasta Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 3 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp runny tahini; 2 tbsp fresh dill (, washed and chopped); 1 tsp whole grain Dijon mustard; 1 tsp maple syrup; 1 garlic clove (, grated using a microplate grater); ½ tsp sea salt; ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper; Zest of half a lemon; ½ pound rotini pasta ((wheat or gluten free)); ⅓ cup frozen peas; 1 cup snap peas ((about 100g), halved); ½ cup arugula

Print recipe

Spring, Summer, Pasta

GF NF RSF

50 mins Prep: 10 mins Cook: 10 mins Refrigeration Time: 30 mins

Serves 4

Bright and lemony, this Spring Inspired Salad is packed with delicious spring veggies such as peas, snap peas and arugula. Finished off with a tangy lemon tahini dressing and some fresh dill, it is wonderful as a side dish or as a main!

Ingredients

Creamy Tahini Dressing

3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp runny tahini
2 tbsp fresh dill , washed and chopped
1 tsp whole grain Dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
1 garlic clove , grated using a microplate grater
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Zest of half a lemon

Pasta Salad

½ pound rotini pasta (wheat or gluten free)
⅓ cup frozen peas
1 cup snap peas (about 100g), halved
½ cup arugula

Recipe

Step 1
Prepare the dressing by adding all the dressing ingredients into a bowl. Give it a stir and set aside.
Step 2
To a saucepan, add water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil.
Step 3
Once boiling, add the pasta. Cook until al dente.
Step 4
Before draining, add frozen peas and cook for 30 more seconds.
Step 5
Drain and add to a bowl along with a 1/2 of the dressing. Stir to coat and let cool for 30 minutes.
Step 6
After 30 minutes, add the remaining dressing, the snap peas and arugula and stir.
Step 7
Give the salad a taste and adjust the seasoning if desired. Add more salt for extra saltiness, more pepper for more heat and lemon for acidity.
Step 8
Keep for up to 2 days in the fridge, covered.

Common Questions & Swaps

Can I replace the tahini with another nut or seed butter? I think almond butter and cashew butter would both work great in this recipe as their flavour is rather mild.
Can I use smooth dijon mustard instead of the whole grain type? Yes absolutely!
Can I use a gluten free pasta or another shape of pasta? Yes totally. My suggestions for pasta salads are: fusilli, orecchiette, macaroni and penne.
Can I replace the peas with another frozen vegetable? Yes; I think edamame and corn would work well here. Simply add them in the last 30 seconds of cooking of the pasta, as the recipe indicates.

Closeup of pasta salad with microgreens, peas, and fresh herbs

Overhead of pasta salad surrounded by microgreens, peas, and a glass of water.

If you have read any of my blog posts before, you know how I love brown, comforting foods. Yep, potatoes, mushrooms and beans are my jam!

However, once in a while, especially when we enter a new season, I get a new wave of excitement when fresh, colorful, local veggies start hitting the shelves.

In the spring, so many vegetables are in season, including peas, but also asparagus, arugula, snap peas, fiddlehead ferns, scallions, artichokes, fennel and so much more! As you can tell, there is a little color theme going on with these veggies: GREEN is everywhere!

That’s what inspired me to create this Spring Inspired Pasta Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing.

Closeup of pasta salad with fresh peas, snap peas, dill, and arugula

Made with lots of green spring vegetables and coated in a rich and lemony dressing, this pasta salad is delicious eaten lukewarm or cold. Plus, it keeps a few days in the fridge so if you make extra, save it for the next day’s lunch!

The process of making it is relatively simple:

Prepare the dressing
Simply whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.

Cook the pasta
Boil is until al dente. Then drain.

Coat the pasta in half of the dressing
Then let cool for 30 minutes.

Add the rest of the dressing along with the rest of the fresh veggies
Stir to coat and enjoy!

Bonus step: garnish your salad with microgreens for an extra little spring touch!

Well… On that note, I am definitely super excited that the spring has finally arrived and am looking forward to creating more recipes featuring in season fruits and vegetables so stay tuned for those!

If you do end up making this Spring Inspired Pasta Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing recipe, be sure to share it on social media and tag me (@muriellebanackissa).

Have a wonderful week my friends!