In this dish:
- kale
- carrots
- onion
- chicken
- green olives
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper
- pasta
- parmesan
- tomatoes
- avocado
Happy July!
Years ago when I was fresh out of college, I went to a chill summertime dinner at the house of someone I barely knew. I watched as she chopped fresh vegetables, tossed them with cooked pasta and cheese, and called it a day. I could see she wasn’t following a recipe; she was just pulling from the produce drawer of her fridge.
That pasta salad was so good: a meeting of the light, cool crunch that our bodies crave in warm weather and the nutty, chewy starch that satisfies hunger.
The recipe portrayed here is based on what I had on hand at the time. But here are the categories that I consider essential for this dish:
- A base of hardy leafy greens that will wilt just enough when mixed with hot pasta
- Raw vegetables—whatever you’ve got!
- Pasta (I like penne or fusilli for pasta salads)
- Freshly shredded parmesan (or any other hard, nutty cheese)
- A simple dressing of olive oil + balsamic vinegar + salt and pepper
Beyond that, sky’s the limit! I happened to have leftover chicken and olives from a family gathering, so in they went, along with half an avocado. Nuts or seeds would have been lovely too.
Keep those summer dinners chill,
Megan
P.S. After I finished shooting this video I realized I'd forgotten to add tomatoes. Then I wondered if I should reshoot the video. THEN I ate the salad and remembered to chill.
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