I made this pasta salad for JB (one of my clients) who has limited food choices. It is protein packed with pinto and kidney beans. Also, I used chickpea pasta. It is lightly dressed with lemon, tahini and some fresh herbs.
This pasta salad would be great to bring to a gathering. For a pop more color add some multicolored tomatoes or some corn. You will be taking home an empty bowl.
- 8 oz. shell pasta (I used Banza)
- 1/2 c celery, sliced thin
- 1/2 c peas, frozen
- 1 cup spinach, chopped
- 1 1/2 c pinto beans
- 1 1/2 c kidney beans
- 1 tbsp, chives, minced
- 1 tsp thyme, fresh
Blanch the celery in boiling water for about 2 minutes. The celery’s green color will brighten. That is when you take it out and shock it in ice water. Remove the celery from the ice bath. Set aside.
Cook the shells according to the package directions. I always cook the Banza pasta at its lowest suggested cooking time. This keeps it from falling apart so easily.
Combine pasta, veggies, beans and herbs in a large bowl.
Dressing:
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 tsp tahini
- 1/4 c water
- 1/2 tsp mustard, ground
- salt and pepper to taste
Whisk together dressing ingredients into a large measuring cup. Drizzle over pasta mixture and stir to coat pasta.
Serve. Eat. Enjoy.
Note: This recipe makes a large bowl. It would be great for food prep for your lunch during the week.
Yum! I just had a falafel sandwich with a lime tahini sauce that I want to recreate. This inspires me to try it with pasta!
Hi Kris. Your Falafel sandwich sounds yummy. The tahini sauce would make a great pasta salad sauce. Thanks for stopping by Cathryn’s Kitchen.