Pasta Salad with Kefir, Peas & Cheese
I love recipes with healthy substitutes. Cut the mayo out of pasta salad and give it a healthy, tangy twist with kefir and some fresh peas for a fresh take on a classic.
I love recipes with healthy substitutes. Cut the mayo out of pasta salad and give it a healthy, tangy twist with kefir and some fresh peas for a fresh take on a classic.
- Carbohydrate 88.6165315165605 g
- Cholesterol 136.843607525 mg
- Fat 18.4386684784059 g
- Fiber 7.71079508777385 g
- Protein 31.8202285258171 g
- Saturated Fat 10.0399418088933 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (415g)
- Sodium 1573.42525565291 mg
- Sugar 80.9057364287866 g
- Trans Fat 1.67817097501596 g
- Calories 645 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook the pasta shells in salted water until al dente. Drain and while it begins to cool, make the dressing and prep additional ingredients.
- In a blender, combine kefir, olive oil, garlic, salt, cayenne pepper and 1 cup of the peas. Blend until smooth and pale green.
- Chop the green onions into thin slices. Stack the mint leaves and slice crosswise into thin ribbons. Dice the cheese into ¼ inch cubes or crumble if using feta.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pasta, dressing, green onions, mint, cheese and remaining peas and stir to combine. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight before serving.
Most cooks under-salt the boiling water, leaving the interior of the pasta shells stubbornly bland while the sauce struggles to compensate on the surface. Salting the water until it tastes distinctly briny ensures the starch absorbs flavor from the inside out before it ever meets the dressing.
Building a Vibrant Emulsion
Blending a portion of the peas directly into the kefir and olive oil base creates a naturally thick, pale green coating without relying on mayonnaise or heavy starches. Emulsifying the garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper with the dairy requires running the blender on high until completely smooth, which aerates the mixture and softens the sharp bite of raw garlic. Thinly slicing the mint leaves into fine ribbons just before mixing prevents bruising the delicate oils within the herb, preserving its brightness against the tang of the fermented milk.Chilling and Resting Dynamics
Allowing the assembled mixture to rest in the refrigerator for at least four hours permits the hollow pasta shells to absorb the surrounding liquids and swell slightly with flavor. Because fermented dairy bases continue to develop profiles as they sit, storing the bowl for up to twenty-four hours deepens the savory notes of the cheese while firming the texture of the peas.
