Summer Pea and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad
Pea Pepper Pasta Salad
Tender shell pasta, sweet peas, crisp snow peas, herbs, and creamy goat cheese tossed with a silky roasted red pepper vinaigrette.
Nutrition (per serving)
This summer pea and roasted red pepper pasta salad is built around contrast: tender pasta shells, sweet green peas, crisp snow peas, and a smooth pepper vinaigrette that coats everything without turning heavy. It tastes best cool or at room temperature, which makes it useful for picnics, cookouts, packed lunches, and warm evenings when a mayonnaise-based salad feels like too much.
Small shells are especially good here because they catch the peas and dressing, but any short pasta with curves or ridges will work. The vegetables are blanched just long enough to set their color and soften the raw edge, then chilled quickly so they stay fresh and snappy in the finished bowl.
The dressing starts with roasted red pepper, olive oil, red wine vinegar, shallot, and a little garlic. Blending turns it creamy without cream, and an extra splash of vinegar keeps the sweet pepper from tasting flat. Crumbled goat cheese and basil are added at the end so they stay distinct instead of disappearing into the dressing.
For the best texture, toss the pasta with part of the vinaigrette while it is still slightly warm, then add the vegetables and the rest of the dressing after it cools. The salad can be made a few hours ahead; just save a spoonful of dressing to refresh it before serving.
Ingredients
- small shell pasta:1 lb
- shelled fresh or frozen peas:1 1/2 cups
- snow peas, trimmed:6 oz
- roasted red bell pepper, drained if jarred:1 large
- extra-virgin olive oil:1/4 cup
- red wine vinegar:3 tbsp
- shallot, chopped:1 small
- garlic clove, finely grated:1
- kosher salt:1 tsp
- black pepper:1/2 tsp
- crumbled goat cheese:3 oz
- fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced:1/3 cup
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and set a bowl of ice water beside the stove.
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Add the snow peas to the boiling water and cook for 90 seconds, until bright green and still crisp. Transfer them to the ice water with a slotted spoon.
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Add the peas to the same boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes for fresh peas or 1 minute for frozen peas. Transfer them to the ice water, then drain both vegetables well.
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Thinly slice the cooled snow peas on the diagonal and set them aside with the peas.
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Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Drain well, spread on a sheet pan for 5 minutes, and let the steam escape.
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Blend the roasted red pepper, olive oil, vinegar, shallot, garlic, salt, and black pepper until very smooth. Taste and add another small splash of vinegar or pinch of salt if needed.
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Toss the warm pasta with about two-thirds of the vinaigrette in a large bowl, then let it cool for 10 minutes.
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Fold in the peas, snow peas, goat cheese, basil, and enough remaining vinaigrette to coat the salad lightly.
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Rest the pasta salad for 10 minutes before serving, then taste once more and adjust with salt, pepper, or vinegar.
Tips & Notes
- Jarred roasted red peppers work well; pat them dry before blending so the vinaigrette stays full flavored.
- If making the salad ahead, keep a few tablespoons of dressing aside and stir it in just before serving.
- Feta or shaved Parmesan can replace the goat cheese if you prefer a saltier finish.
