Minty Lemon Pasta Salad with Edamame
This is a simple rocket pasta salad that is light and bright, and comes together easily! Made with pesto, cheese, walnuts, and rocket (or arugula), it's a warm pasta salad that's perfect for mid-winter or spring, but also has a brightness of flavour using fresh mint and lemon suitable throughout the seasons.
This makes a good side dish, or you can eat this as a main! Make this meatless meal that’s great for weeknight dinner or even the weekend!
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Yield: Serves 2 to 4
Special Equipment: 8-inch/20 cm cast-iron skillet (for prep: toasting and searing), 3 Qt/2.8 L or 4 Qt/3.7 L – capacity pot or Dutch oven (for boiling pasta), and 2.5 Qt/2.3 L – capacity or medium mixing bowl (for blending dressing).
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, (seeds removed)
- 2 1/2 cups (250g) penne pasta (or rotini pasta)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, (divided into ½ teaspoons)
- 1 cup (170g) frozen shelled edamame
- 4 - 5 tablespoons pesto
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 Oz. (75g) rocket (baby arugula), (or baby spinach *see FAQs for alternatives)
- 1/2 cup (60g) crumbled feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons shaved parmesan (for garnish)
- 6 - 8 fresh mint leaves, (for garnish)
1. In a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add in the walnuts and toast them until it smells nutty and fragrant (about 2 to 3 minutes). Remove from the skillet and transfer to a heat-safe plate. Set aside. You may use a touch of oil, but it is not necessary.
2. Use the same skillet, and over medium-high heat cook 3 or 4 lemon wedges until browned (about 2 to 3 minutes on each side). Switch off the heat and transfer the lemon wedges to a small heat-safe dish. Set aside.
- In a 4 Qt./3.7 L-capacity pot filled with water, bring the water to a boil. Add ½ teaspoon of the salt to the boiling water. Cook pasta according to package instructions (usually 7 to 11 minutes), adding the frozen edamame during the last 4 minutes of cooking.
- Switch off the heat. Drain the pasta water, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the pasta water left in the pot.
- Add the pesto to the pot of pasta and edamame, then stir with a spoon until evenly coated. Set the pot aside.
- In a 2.5 Qt/2.3 L-capacity mixing bowl, whisk in the olive oil, red wine vinegar, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Add in the rocket (arugula) or spinach leaves and toss them in the dressing. Squeeze the juice of three or four of the grilled lemon wedges over the leaves.
- Now, add the dressed leaves to the pot of pasta.
- Use a large wooden spoon to fold in the leaves with the pasta. Sprinkle in the feta cheese, and toasted walnuts. Transfer to a platter or serving bowl. Garnish the pasta salad with parmesan shavings and mint leaves. Serve with a slice of lemon. Enjoy!
