Description
The ideal outdoor meal: this colorful main-course pasta salad chock-full of protein, vegetables and bold flavorings. For fresh flavor and peak texture, toss the salad right before serving. Pack the dressing in a jar and the salad ingredients in a gallon-sized zipper bag. When ready to serve, drizzle on the dressing, close the bag and squeeze it all over until the dressing completely coats the salad. Pour into a serving bowl.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- Big pinch of salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 medium yellow pepper, halved lengthwise, seeded
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Ground black pepper and salt, to taste
- 1 gallon water
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 pound medium pasta shells
- 1 pound cooked shrimp, halved lengthwise
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¾ cup coarsely chopped, pitted Kalamata olives
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ small red onion, cut into small dice
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Instructions
- To make the vinaigrette
- whisk together the rice wine vinegar
- mustard
- garlic
- pinch of salt
- and pepper; slowly pour in 2/3 cup olive oil
- whisking constantly. Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid to transport it to the picnic.
- Adjust oven rack to highest position and turn broiler on high. Toss zucchini and bell pepper with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste
- and arrange on a large baking sheet with sides. Broil until spotty brown
- 8 to 10 minutes
- turning zucchini slices and pepper halves once. Set aside in a large bowl to cool
- then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Bring 1 gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to boil. Add pasta; boil using package times
- until just tender. Drain thoroughly (do not rinse) and dump onto the baking sheet. Set aside to cool.
- Put vegetables
- pasta and remaining ingredients (except dressing) in the bowl or a gallon-sized zipper bag (can be refrigerated for several hours). When ready to serve
- add dressing; toss to coat.
Prep Time: 35 mins
Cook Time: 17 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 22 mins
Servings: 6