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Pasta Salad With Olive-Basil Dressing can be made hours in advance and stored in the fridge. In this recipe, I chose penne pasta, as its size compliments the other ingredients.  It is sturdy enough to last overnight in the fridge.  For super fresh flavor, tear in the basil, sprinkle on the pine nuts, and toss with the dressing just before serving.

25 min

| Serves 2 as a main course |

527 calories per serving

Ingredients

Pasta Salad

  •  2 cups prepared pasta such as penne or bow tie
  •  8 ounces cooked, peeled shrimp – small or medium
  •  8 cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
  •  1 generous cup fresh basil leaves

    Toasting pine nuts on the stove allows you to keep a close watch on their color.

  •  2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  •  2 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
  •  6 – 8 pickled pimentos for garnish
  •  Fresh ground pepper to taste

Olive-Basil Blast Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  •  1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon roughly chopped olives
  •  1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
  • Optional: 1/2 teaspoon or more fresh minced garlic

Directions

Make the olive-basil dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until they emulsify and begin to thicken. Taste-test the dressing on a piece of pasta and adjust flavor according to your preferences, adding more garlic for a pungent dressing or more basil for a fresh, herbaceous effect.

Assemble the salad: Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl.  Add the tomatoes to the bowl, reserving a few for garnish.  Tear the basil into small pieces over the pasta and tomatoes.   Crumble in about half of the feta.  Toss the salad with a thorough coating of the dressing, adding fresh ground pepper according to taste.

pickled pimentos

Pickled pimentos add pretty color and peppery heat.

Arrange the shrimp over the salad, along with the reserved tomatoes, feta, pine nuts and pimentos.  Drizzle additional dressing over the salad.  Serve, and enjoy!

Pasta Salad With Olive-Basil Dressing

Super scrumptious: Pasta salad with olive-basil blast dressing.

 

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