I feel like I’m always on a hunt for the best pasta salad recipe- they are so deliciously summer-y, don’t you think? Cool. Refreshing. Easy (eh, technically). When I found a link to this one as I surfed Pinterest, I thought it would most definitely be worth a try!
Summertime Pasta Salad w/ Lemon Dressing
(Original recipe found here.)
12 oz salad-size macaroni pasta, cooked according to package instructions and cooled
1cup frozen petite peas
6 slices cooked bacon
Dressing (below)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, for garnish*
Creamy, Lemon-Thyme Dressing ingredients:
¾ cup mayo
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest
1tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard
1teaspoon fresh thyme leaves*
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
The original recipe recommends waiting to add the dressing until you’re ready to serve- I forgot this step and let mine sit in the fridge for a few hours… & it was still lovely!
Afterthoughts:
*Like usual, I deviated a bit from the original (I’m not a thyme fan, so I skipped that part). I know this seems obvious, but it was really lemon-y! Next time I might add the lemon gradually so it’s not quite as assertive, otherwise, it was great. I loved the addition of the peas and bacon- such unexpected bits of fun to jazz up an ordinary pasta salad!