Description
A vibrant, summer-ready pasta salad featuring orecchiette tossed with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, lemon, and olive oil. This meatless dish is perfect for light dinners or as a standout side for gatherings.
Ingredients
- 1 lb orecchiette pasta
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced or torn
- 4–6 cloves garlic, grated into a paste
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (+ more as needed)
- Optional: 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Slice cherry tomatoes and mix with garlic paste, olive oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Let marinate at room temperature.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook orecchiette until al dente per package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Combine pasta with tomato mixture in a large bowl. Add basil and toss gently. Adjust with more lemon juice, olive oil, or salt as needed. Optional: sprinkle with red chili flakes for heat.
Notes
- Great served cold or at room temperature.
- Can be made a few hours ahead for deeper flavor.
- Not recommended for freezing.
- Rinsing the pasta is essential to stop cooking and enhance absorption of flavors.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
