Summer is my favorite time of year for pasta salads. You can make them in the morning or a day ahead to save time just before dinner. I like to incorporate roasted vegetables for an added layer of flavor, but if you don’t have the time, I recommend using a vegetable that doesn’t need to be cooked (such as carrot or red pepper). Another option would be to use a bottled Asian dressing to speed this salad up. A fun substitution for pasta would be quinoa. Serve as a side dish or alongside a green salad for a complete meal.
What You Need:
4 cups whole wheat spiral pasta, cooked in chicken broth
2 cups roasted chicken, cubed
1 recipe roasted Brussels sprouts
5 green onions, thinly sliced
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup toasted sliced almonds
1 recipe sesame ginger dressing
What To Do:
Cook pasta in chicken broth according to packages instructions.
Drain and allow to cool slightly.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Allow flavors to marry in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours before serving.
Serves 6-8
Bon Appetit!
Mary
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
What You Need:
½ lb Brussels sprouts, quartered
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
What To Do:
Toss sprouts in oil, salt and pepper. Roast in a 400* oven for 10 minutes.
What You Need:
2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
4 Tbs sesame oil
1 ½ tsp soy sauce
1 ½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Hot sauce to taste
What To Do:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a wisk and set aside.
Combine oil and zest and set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Prepare pasta according to packages instructions. Make sure you salt the cooking water well (about a tablespoon of salt) because it's your only chance to season the noodles. Drain and rinse with cool water.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. For best results, make a day ahead.
