Tomato + Cheddar Lemon Aioli Pasta Salad

With summer finally being thisclose, I’m starting to look for things I can bring to a BBQ or out to the beach—foods that can be served at room temperature, and won't have reduced themselves to some crazy-looking concoctions by the time they’re ready to be served.

Pasta salads are always a good bet, and when you add a homemade lemon aioli (I stole the recipe from my cookbook, Meat On The Side!) and the perfect balance of textures and flavors, you are guaranteed to be the hit of the party!

For the aioli, you just add garlic, mustard, lemon juice, and egg yolk to a blender, then drizzle in some oil.

That’s it!

And the combination of those ingredients, although kind of basic, creates a taste that is out of this world—creamy, tangy, and light!

Once you add your all-star aioli to chunks of cheddar, richly-flavored sundried tomatoes, juicy grape tomatoes, and crunchy lettuce, you end up with a simple pasta salad that doesn’t taste so simple.

This incredible dish is about using familiar flavors, but making them the best they can be.

And this is the best pasta salad EVER!

Tomato + Cheddar Lemon Aioli Pasta Salad

servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Juice of 1 lemon + zest of half of the lemon
• 1 small garlic clove, sliced
• 1½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 16 ounces dry rotini pasta
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups packed spring mix lettuce
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped sundried tomatoes
• 8 ounces cubed sharp cheddar cheese (¼-inch cubes)
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat for cooking the rotini. Add the egg yolk, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a blender and blend on high for about 10 seconds. Then, with the machine still running, slowly add ¼ cup of the oil at a time, until the mixture is thick and smooth. Set aside.
2. When the water boils, add the rotini and cook according to the package directions. When done, drain and transfer to a large bowl, allowing the pasta to cool.
3. Once the pasta has cooled, to the same bowl, add the tomatoes, spring mix, sundried tomatoes, cheese, remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and the pepper, then stir to combine. Serve and enjoy!

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking

Find more recipes like this in MORE VEGGIES PLEASE!

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Cucumber Zucchini Salad

A friend of mine wrote an article about having a ton of zucchini in her family's garden when she was growing up.

So much, in fact, that her family resorted to dressing their excess of squashes in "outfits" and leaving them on a "lucky" neighbor's doorstep (read more).

I suppose that is one (uh...ahem) effective way to deal with an excess of zucchini in your garden.

However, may I gently suggest another?

To bring another vegetable into the conversation, cucumbers are similar to zucchini.

For instance, both vegetables are delicious raw as well as cooked.

With this in mind, I'd like to point out that anything cucumbers can do, zucchinis can do also!

So instead of making the same old cucumber salad (don't get me wrong, those cucumber salads can be delicious!), I decided to bring our mutual friend, Mr. Zucchini, to the pickling party.

The best think about this Cucumber Zucchini Salad is that it takes only a few minutes to make and only a few more to marinate.

In the end, you have a light, refreshing salad with crunchy cucumbers and zucchini that are seriously a match made in heaven.

And as a bonus, it’s like -20 calories (okay, not really, but I'm sure it's close)!

Cucumber Zucchini Salad

servings: 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 English cucumber (about 12 ounces)
• 1 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces)
• ½ small red onion (about 2 ounces), very thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, cut the cucumber and zucchini into very thinly sliced rounds. When you are finished slicing, you should have about 2 cups of cucumber and 1½ cups of zucchini.
2. In a medium size bowl, toss the cucumber and zucchini slices with the onion and salt, allow this mixture to sit for 30 minutes, then transfer it to a colander to drain off the excess liquid. Return the veggie mixture to the bowl and set aside.
3. Next, combine the vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes, whisking or stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Then pour this mixture over the veggie mixture, tossing the veggies to coat them evenly.
4. Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Be sure to drain off any excess liquid once again, before serving.

: @NikkiDinki

: @NikkiDinkiCooking

FIND more recipes like this in MEAT ON THE SIDE!

 

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