Refreshing Pasta Salad with Lemon, Cucumber, and Basil

Preparing a delightful dish at home can be both satisfying and rewarding. This Pasta Salad with Lemon, Cucumber, Parmesan, and Peas is an ideal choice for hot summer days, light lunches, or as a fresh side for barbecues. The zesty combination of lemon juice, savory Parmesan, and sweet peas brings an invigorating lightness to the table. With a simple dressing made from olive oil and lemon zest, this salad is refreshingly uncomplicated and avoids heavy mayonnaise.

Reasons to Love This Lemon and Pea Pasta Salad

• Refreshing & Fruity: The fresh organic lemon adds a delightful zing through both its zest and juice.
• Quick Preparation: While the pasta cooks, you can chop the vegetables – in just 25 minutes, the salad is ready to serve.
• Light Summer Dish: This salad is easy on the stomach, making it perfect for warm weather without the heaviness of a rich dressing.
• Everyday Ingredients: All components like cucumber, peas, and basil can be found in any regular supermarket.

Preparation Tips and Variations for Your Pasta Salad

Making this salad is straightforward: Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente and let it cool. Meanwhile, prepare the cucumber, fresh basil, and Parmesan. For the dressing, mix the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, along with salt and pepper. Combine the cooled pasta with the other ingredients and gently toss everything together.

It's important to use an organic lemon whose peel is safe for consumption!

If you prefer, you can omit the Parmesan for a dairy-free version; I have made the salad without it before and it still tastes great.

Looking to tweak the recipe? Feel free to sprinkle some toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds over the salad for added texture.

If you opt for frozen peas, simply add them to the pot during the last few minutes of cooking the pasta or briefly blanch them in hot water.

For the best flavor, let the pasta salad chill in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving, allowing the noodles to absorb the lemony aroma perfectly.

Recipe Summary with AI Assistance

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Simple Lemon, Cucumber, Parmesan, and Pea Pasta Salad

This refreshing pasta salad is perfect for hot summer days or grill parties. Thanks to the simple lemon-olive oil dressing, the salad is light and flavorful.

🍏 No refined sugar • 🥦 Vegetarian • 🚫🥛 Dairy-free • 🚫🥜 Nut-free

(Note: Depending on the brand, products may contain hidden additives or traces.)

Ingredients

• 250 g pasta
• 500 ml water
• 1/2 cucumber
• 10 basil leaves
• 20 g Parmesan
• 100 g peas

Dressing

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 organic lemon
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Bring 500 ml of water to a boil in a suitable pot. Add a pinch of salt and cook the 250 g pasta according to the package instructions until soft. Drain and let cool.
2. Peel the cucumber, quarter it, and slice.
3. Wash the basil leaves and cut them into thin strips.
4. Slice the Parmesan into thin pieces.
5. For the salad dressing, zest the organic lemon and place the zest in a bowl. Juice the lemon and add 3 tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then mix well.
6. Add the pasta, Parmesan, and 100 g peas to the dressing. Gently fold everything together.
7. Serve the pasta salad immediately or let it chill for an hour in the refrigerator before serving.

I would love to hear your thoughts! If you enjoyed the recipe, please rate it with stars! If you've made any variations, share your tips in the comments to help others!

Calories: 583 kcal | Carbohydrates: 108 g | Protein: 24 g | Fat: 6 g

Since 2013, I have been sharing simple savory and sweet recipes without specialty ingredients on MakeItSweet. I have a passion for cinnamon and garlic but consciously avoid cumin, coriander, and caraway. Each recipe is self-developed, thoroughly tested, and easy to recreate – delivering real results from my kitchen to yours.