The perfect gourmet pasta salad DOES exist! Packed with whole grains, creamy goat cheese, fresh spinach and bright English peas, this pasta salad goes just as well on the dinner table as it does on a picnic blanket. Featuring a touch of lemon juice along with olive oil, salt, freshly cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes, the pasta salad is incredibly well-balanced and is totally worthy of seconds (or thirds).

Sautéd red onion + garlic adds additional flavor and texture, as does the pièce de résistance: toasted pine nuts. I love incorporating nuts into pasta salads because they add great crunch and even more plant-based protein!

If you want your pasta salad to be even cheesier, feel free to mix in some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and or/nutritional yeast to up the umami factor. Personally, I like to drizzle it with a touch of balsamic vinegar before diving in.

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz. whole grain fusilli pasta (can also use rotini, shells or penne)

• 10 oz. English peas

• 6 oz. fresh spinach

• 6 oz. goat cheese

• 1 red onion, diced

• 6 garlic cloves, diced

• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

• 1/4 c. pine nuts

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Salt & pepper, to taste

• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

STEPS

1) Drizzle a bit of olive oil into a sauté pan and heat over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and garlic, stirring frequently for 6 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Set aside.

2) Add the pine nuts to a dry pan over medium heat. Carefully watch the pine nuts and stir them frequently until slightly browned. They will burn quickly, so don’t take your eyes off them! Once toasted, set aside.

3) Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. In the meantime, cook the peas according to package directions.

4) Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and add it to a large bowl. Drizzle the pasta with olive oil — about 3 or 4 tablespoons — and add the lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes Spoon the goat cheese onto the pasta and add about 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water. Stir well to combine until the sauce is creamy and fully coats the pasta. Gradually add more pasta water if needed, but be careful not to overdo it. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.

5) Add the onions/garlic and the peas. Use your hands to tear the spinach into pieces, then add to the bowl. Toss well until the ingredients are fully combined and the spinach is slightly wilted. Serve immediately and top with the toasted pine nuts.

Note: the pasta will keep well in the refrigerator for a few days. Heat it up, or feel free to eat it cold!