This vibrant pasta salad is fresh, zesty, and dressed to impress!

Green pasta salad

A vibrant, healthy take on pasta salad that shouts spring. Using wholewheat pasta will make this meal low-GI – a great choice for work lunches!

Serves 2-3 

Ingredients

For the sauce  

1 cup plain double-cream yoghurt  

1 avocado 

Handful coriander, stems picked  

100g spinach blanched and squeezed  

¼ cup lemon juice  

Salt and milled pepper 

100g fine green beans  

200g sugar snap peas 

120g shelled edamame beans (or use green peas)

300g pasta or pasta rice (we used orecchiette), cooked and cooled  

1 avocado, diced or quartered  

Handful toasted almonds, chopped 

Handful micro herbs or baby leaf mix  

Method

1. Combine the sauce ingredients and blitz until smooth using a stick blender. (You can thin the sauce down with a splash of water, if you like).  
2. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and set a separate bowl of ice water next to it. 
3. Drop the beans and peas into the boiling water and boil for 45 seconds. Then, remove the beans and peas using a slotted spoon and submerge in iced water. 
4. Toss pasta through sauce and divide between plates. 
5. Toss together the greens then dress lightly in olive oil and spoon onto pasta. 
6. To serve, sprinkle with nuts and leaves. 

Cook’s note: This sauce can be stored for up to a day. Store in the fridge with cling wrap directly on the surface of sauce to avoid oxidation. 

Recipe & styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg 

Photography: Donna Lewis 

Also read: Fattoush salad with preserved lemon vinaigrette