Pasta Salad Nicoise
A great way to fuel a healthy lifestyle, pasta salad nicoise has an appropirate balanace of carbohydrates (for replacing muscle fule), protein (for building and repairing muscle tissue ) and healthy fats for good cardiovascular health and taste.
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
for the dressing
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 4 Tablespoons Canola oil
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- freshly ground pepper to taste
for the salad
- 2 cups frozen green beans
- 2 cups uncooked farfelline (mini bow tie pasta)
- 2 ribs of celery, sliced
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinnly sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
- 1 12 oz. can water packed tuna, drained
- 5 pimento stuffed olives, sliced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (optional)
Instructions
for the dressing
Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
for the salad
1. Steam frozen green beans according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Add 2-3 quarts of water and a pinch of salt to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil.
3. Add pasta to boiling water, stirring gently.
4. Cover pot with lid until water begins to boil again, then remove lid. Stir pasta frequently. Cook according to package directions, mini bow tie pasta may take only 6 minutes to cook til ‘al dente’ or firm to the bite.
5. Once pasta reaches al dente, drain and run under cold water to stop from further cooking.
6. Add pasta, tuna, green beans, celery, onion, tomatoes, olives and basil to a large bowl or platter.
7. Stir dressing to combine ingredients and pour over pasta, tuna and vegetables. Toss well.
8. Garnish with fresh basil.
9. Serve immediately or refrigerate to enjoy later. (Will keep refrigerated for up to 2 days.)