Lemon Basil Pasta Salad

Add this light and zesty Lemon Basil Pasta Salad to your summer menu! This pasta salad is refreshing, flavorful and packed with fresh veggies. The perfect side dish to bring to your next cookout or picnic and makes a healthy weeknight dinner!

Ok so I have the ultimate summer pasta salad for you! This light and fresh Lemon Basil Pasta Salad recipe was inspired by my favorite Trader Joe’s pre-made pasta salad that I found myself buying every week. You are going to love the bright flavors in this pasta salad and we’ve loaded this up with fresh summer veggies like zucchini, green peas and other fresh ingredients along with herby basil and shaved parmesan cheese. The lemon vinaigrette makes a great salad dressing or marinade as well! So much flavor in every bite!

Why You’ll Love This

• Quick and easy – this pasta salad recipe easily comes together in under 30 minutes using just a few simple ingredients.
• Light and healthy – refreshing flavors of lemon, garlic and basil paired with fresh veggies like zucchini and peas make this the perfect healthy meal.
• Customizable – make this pasta salad your own by using your favorite veggies, adding in some protein or mixing up the herbs and spices that you like best.
• Perfect for summer – this is not a heavy pasta dish and you will love the fresh, crisp and zesty flavors. Great to serve at summer parties and cookouts!

Pasta Salad Ingredients

• pasta – I used farfalle pasta (also known as bowtie pasta), but feel free to use any type of pasta that is curly/corkscrew such as rotini, cavatappi or fusilli. The nooks in the pasta really grab hold of the dressing nicely! Penne pasta works great too.
• zucchini + peas – these summer vegetables add nutrition to the pasta salad and a beautiful vibrant color to the salad.
• fresh basil – adds the perfect flavor that pairs perfectly with this pasta salad. Fresh arugula or fresh oregano would be a great addition as well!
• parmesan cheese – I like to thinly slice a wedge of high quality parmesan cheese using a vegetable peeler or you can simply grate fresh parmesan cheese over top. Crumbled feta cheese or asiago cheese would make great options as well.

Lemony Dressing Ingredients

• olive oil – I like to use a good extra-virgin olive oil that doesn’t have to be expensive, just make sure it’s cold-pressed and organic for the most flavor.
• lemons – fresh lemon juice adds such a bright, fresh taste and you’ll need about 2 lemons plus some zest. Just make sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice as the bottled lemon juice can have a bitter taste.
• white wine vinegar – this adds a nice tangy flavor and some zip to the salad. You could also use apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar.
• dijon mustard – this adds a little zip and helps to emulsify the dressing.
• honey – adds a little sweetness to the dressing without using refined sugars. You could also swap the honey with maple syrup or other natural sweetener.
• garlic – you can use fresh chopped garlic cloves or minced garlic from the jar.
• shallots – I just love the light, sweet taste of shallots in this salad! You could also use chopped red onion or green onions.
• salt + black pepper – needed to season and add flavor to the pasta salad.

How to Make Lemon Basil Pasta Salad

1. Boil the pasta.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. Prep the zucchini. Using a box grater, shred one medium zucchini (you should get about 1 1/2 cups) and gently squeeze out the water using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
3. Make the dressing.  While the pasta cooks, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, vinegar, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, shallots, salt and pepper in a jar or small bowl until smooth and creamy. Set aside until ready to use.
4. Toss the salad.  In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta, grated zucchini, peas, fresh basil and half of the lemon-basil vinaigrette, stirring well. Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least an hour before serving.
5. Serve and enjoy! When ready to serve, let the pasta salad warm up to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving. Give the remaining vinaigrette a good shake and drizzle over the salad along with the freshly shaved parmesan cheese.

Variations

Make this lemon pasta salad all your own by changing up the ingredients and adding in your favorite flavors!

• Add in protein – grilled chicken (or shredded chicken), cooked shrimp, salmon, and chicken sausage would taste amazing in this pasta salad. You could also add in chickpeas or white beans for a vegetarian option.
• Extra veggies – we are using shredded zucchini and green peas in this salad, but cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, artichoke hearts, summer squash, asparagus and broccoli all make great options.
• Greens – fresh arugula would taste amazing in this salad with all the lemon flavor, but you could also add in chopped baby spinach or even kale.
• Make it creamy – mix in a spoonful of Greek yogurt or mayo with the dressing for a creamy twist.
• Make it crunchy – feel free to add in some pine nuts, chopped walnuts or chopped almonds into this salad for a nice crunch and texture.
• Gluten-free – to make this pasta salad gluten-free, simply use certified gluten-free pasta of your choice.

How to Serve

Not only does this flavorful pasta salad a filling main dish, but it makes the perfect summer side as well! Here are some of my favorite recipes to pair with this salad:

• Lemon Herb Grilled Chicken
• Greek Chicken Kabobs
• Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Chickpeas
• Hummus Crusted Salmon
• Sheet Pan Lemon Garlic Shrimp with Asparagus
• Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs

Prepping and Storage

To prep ahead of time: You can easily prep this salad ahead of time by cooking the noodles, shredding the zucchini and making the lemon dressing up to a day before assembling. Just store everything in separate containers in the fridge.

To store: Leftovers will last up to 3 to 4 days in your fridge stored in a sealed, airtight container. I like to reserve a little extra dressing to drizzle over before eating leftovers as the noodles and veggies tend to soak up a lot of the dressing.

More Pasta Salad Recipes

• Summer Pesto Pasta Salad
• Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad
• Marinated Summer Caprese Salad
• Rainbow Orzo Pasta Salad
• Pea and Arugula Pesto Pasta Salad
• Broccoli Grape Harvest Salad

Hope you all enjoy this easy pasta salad recipe and if you love this as much as we do, please leave below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny!

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