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pasta salad with olives peas asparagus and feta in a large bowl

Herby Pasta Salad with California Ripe Olives

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  • Author: Teri Turner
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 servings
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Make this Pasta Salad with California Ripe Olives for the perfect spring side dish!


Ingredients

For the Italian Dressing 

  •   1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  •   1 large garlic clove, pressed, minced or grated
  •   2 teaspoons dried oregano or Italian blend
  •   1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
  •   4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 large lemon), divided 
  •   2 teaspoons Kosher salt 
  •   3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Pasta Salad 

  •   1 pound small pasta of choice, we used orecchiette pasta 
  •   Kosher salt (for salting the water and seasoning) 
  •   1 bunch (about 2 cups) sliced asparagus (leave the heads intact and cut the trimmed stalks into 1/4-inch pieces)
  •   1 1/2 cup frozen peas 
  •   1/2 cup minced marinated red onions 
  •   1/2 cup chopped roasted unsalted pistachios 
  •   1/2 cup finely chopped celery 
  •   1 can (6 ounces) green California Ripe Olives, sliced in halves or thirds
  •   1/2-3/4 cup chopped herbs (we used equal parts dill, parsley, and mint) 
  •   ¾ cup feta cheese crumbles 
  •   1-2 pinches red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

For the dressing: 

  1. To a blender, add the vinegar, garlic, oregano, Dijon, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and salt. Blend and slowly add the olive oil while the blender is still going so it can emulsify completely. You can also add all the ingredients to a jar with a lid and shake until it emulsifies and all the ingredients have blended. Set aside. 

Make the Pasta Salad: 

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a good amount of salt, 1-2 tablespoons, and cook the pasta 1 minute over al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside to cool completely. Drizzle ½ cup of the dressing onto the pasta while it’s warm to keep it from sticking and to soak up the flavor of the dressing. 
  2. Prepare a large bowl with iced water. Place a medium pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Add salt to the boiling water then the asparagus and par-boil until tender, about 1 minute and 45 seconds. Add the frozen peas to the pot with the asparagus and cook another 30 seconds. Remove the vegetables from the boiling water with a slotted spoon or mesh strainer and transfer them directly to the ice water bath. Once the asparagus and peas are cooled, transfer them to a paper towel to dry. 
  3. To a large bowl, add the pasta, asparagus, peas, marinated red onion, pistachios, celery, olives and herbs. Toss to mix completely. Drizzle about 1/2 a cup of the prepared Italian dressing over the salad and toss. Continue adding more dressing, a little at a time, until the salad is dressed to your liking. Taste and add more salt if needed. Crumble feta cheese on top and sprinkle with a pinch of red chili flakes (if using) and gently fold into the pasta salad. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  4. Squeeze remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice over the pasta and give everything one last toss just before serving. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 363
  • Sugar: 3.4 g
  • Sodium: 486.5 mg
  • Fat: 17.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 43.7 g
  • Protein: 9.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 29.7 mg