Meet your new summer bestie.
Do you have two and a half seconds? I'd like you to meet your new summer bestie:
A stupidly easy pasta salad with conchiglie, juicy tomatoes, fresh basil and yummy snap peas.
Now you may be wondering, is it still pasta salad if it’s not swimming in tomato sauce? Why, yes, of course it is.
To take advantage of the summer months, I love using the freshest veggies that I can get. The fresh cherry tomatoes and snap peas are highlighted in this dish.
This cool salad keeps well so you can make a big batch to eat for no-cook lunches throughout the week. Pasta salad is truly as easy as boiling water and tossing in a few key ingredients.
Conchiglie, is also commonly known as "shells" or "seashells." The shell shape of the pasta allows the sauce to be scooped up by it. My favorite brand is Chickapea, which is a gluten-free pasta that's made from ONLY chickpeas and lentils. I love this pasta because there's 23 grams of protein per 3.5oz serving (which is AMAZING).
So are you ready? Let's get cooking!
PASTA SALAD WITH SNAP PEAS AND TOMATOES
Serves 5
INGREDIENTS
6 garlic cloves, crushed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled, cut into very thin matchsticks
4 cups cherry tomatoes
6 Tbsp fresh orange juice
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp honey
¼ tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 large spring onions
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
8 oz sugar snap peas, trimmed, halved (about 3 cups)
Kosher salt
THE REST
12 oz Conchiglie
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups thinly sliced basil, divided
2 cups thinly sliced mint, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil (for drizzling)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 325°F. Toss garlic, thyme, ginger, tomatoes, orange juice, oil, honey, salt, and a pinch of pepper in a glass baking dish. Roast, gently tossing mixture every 20 mins, until tomatoes are tender and just bursting but still intact, 50-60 mins.
Pluck out and discard thyme.
Separate spring onion stems from bulbs. Cut crosswise into 2” pieces. Slice bulbs through root end into quarters.
Heat a medium skillet over high. Add 1 Tbsp. oil, then sugar snap peas. Cook, tossing once, until charred on both sides, about 4 mins.
Transfer to a large bowl.
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in same skillet. Add spring onion stems and bulbs, arranging in a single layer. Cook, tossing once, until charred, about 4 minutes.
Transfer to bowl with sugar snap peas; season with salt.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, transfer to a large bowl, and let cool.
Add tomato mixture, sugar snap peas and spring onions, lemon juice, 1½ cups basil, and 1½ cups mint to pasta and toss gently to combine; season with salt, pepper.
Serve pasta salad topped with remaining ½ cup basil and ½ cup mint and a drizzle of oil.
Serve and enjoy!
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