This Trader Joe’s Inspired Pasta Salad is a fresh and vibrant recipe, which is made with grated zucchini and a zesty lemon vinaigrette. It’s the perfect side dish for a picnic, ready in about 1 hour and 30 minutes, and a great way to use your favorite Trader Joe’s staples.
Jump to RecipeTrader Joe’s Inspired Pasta Salad Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 16 oz farfalle (bowtie) pasta
- Salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas, thawed
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese
For the Lemon Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp finely minced shallots
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
How To Make This Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the farfalle pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and immediately rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Prep the zucchini: Grate the zucchini using a box grater. Place the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or several paper towels and gently squeeze to remove as much excess water as possible.
- Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or a jar with a lid, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, white wine vinegar, shallots, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until the dressing is smooth and creamy.
- Combine the salad: In a large serving bowl, mix together the cooked pasta, squeezed zucchini, peas, and chopped basil. Pour about half of the lemon vinaigrette over the salad and stir well to combine everything.
- Chill and serve: Cover the pasta salad and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Toss with the remaining vinaigrette and top with the freshly shaved parmesan cheese.
Recipe Tips
- Why do I need to squeeze the zucchini? This is a crucial step! Zucchini holds a lot of water, which will be released into your salad. Squeezing it out prevents the pasta salad from becoming watery and keeps the dressing flavorful and creamy.
- How do I keep my pasta from getting mushy? Rinsing the pasta with cold water immediately after draining stops the cooking process and removes excess starch, which helps prevent it from clumping together.
- Why dress the salad in two stages? The pasta will absorb some of the dressing as it chills. Adding the remaining vinaigrette just before serving ensures the salad is perfectly dressed, fresh, and not at all dry.
- What Trader Joe’s products are good for this? Trader Joe’s has excellent organic farfalle, shaved parmesan, and often has fresh basil and all the vinaigrette ingredients you need to make this a one-stop-shop recipe.
What To Serve With Pasta Salad
This vibrant pasta salad is a perfect side dish for:
- Grilled chicken, steak, or fish
- Burgers and hot dogs at a barbecue
- A simple rotisserie chicken for an easy dinner
- Alongside other picnic favorites like fruit salad and sandwiches
How To Store Pasta Salad
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors will continue to develop, so it’s often even better the next day.
Pasta Salad Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1/8th of recipe
- Calories: 357kcal
- Carbohydrates: 49.3g
- Protein: 9.2g
- Fat: 15.2g
- Sodium: 106.5mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead recipe. You can prepare it up to 24 hours in advance. For the best result, keep the second half of the dressing and the parmesan cheese separate and toss them in just before serving.
While delicious, the Trader Joe’s Knife-Cut Noodles are best served hot in a soup or stir-fry. This cold pasta salad recipe works much better with a shaped pasta like farfalle that can catch the dressing and small ingredients like peas.
It is highly recommended. Chilling the salad allows the pasta and vegetables to absorb the flavors of the vinaigrette, resulting in a much more cohesive and delicious final dish.
Try More Recipes:
- Trader Joe’s Jalapeño Sauce Recipe
- Trader Joe’s Holiday Hash Recipe
- Trader Joe’s Green Goddess Dressing Recipe
Trader Joe’s Zucchini Pasta Salad Recipe
Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings20
minutes10
minutes357
kcalA bright and refreshing pasta salad loaded with fresh zucchini, sweet peas, and basil, all tossed in a zesty homemade lemon vinaigrette.
Ingredients
16 oz farfalle pasta
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini, squeezed dry
1 cup peas, thawed
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup shaved parmesan
Vinaigrette: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest, 3 Tbsp white wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp minced shallots, 3 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp Dijon, 2 tsp honey, salt & pepper
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water.
- Grate the zucchini and squeeze out all excess water using a kitchen towel.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the lemon vinaigrette.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, zucchini, peas, and basil.
- Toss the salad with half of the vinaigrette.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Before serving, toss with the remaining vinaigrette and top with shaved parmesan.
Notes
- Squeezing the water out of the grated zucchini is essential to prevent a watery pasta salad.
- Don’t skip rinsing the cooked pasta in cold water; this stops it from overcooking and becoming mushy.
- The pasta will absorb the dressing as it sits, so reserving half to add just before serving keeps it fresh and flavorful.
- Let the salad sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving for the best flavor.
