Garlic Lemon Pasta Salad
Megha Patel
How cute is this heart shaped pasta from HomeGoods?! I’m so obsessed. To be 100% honest with you, I bought this pasta over the summer but I immediately envisioned myself using it in February for Valentine’s Day… so here we are… 2 seasons later and finally ready to eat!!
It would be such a crime to eat pasta like this with a red sauce because then it would be coated with layers of cheese and we wouldn’t be able to see the pretty shapes. That’s what inspired me to make this Garlic Lemon Pasta Salad! (Don’t be disappointed though. I added tons of fresh mozzarella in this recipe!)
Lemony pasta has always been a favorite of mine because I love the fresh flavor and it always adds a brightness to the dish. I cut up lemon slices and threw them directly into garlic infused olive oil for the perfect sauce. What I love most about this dish is that it can be eaten warm and right off of the stove or you can store it in the fridge and eat it cold the next day.
The key ingredients that you will need for this simple recipe are most likely in your pantry already so you may not even need to make a special trip to the grocery store! It may seem like a lot of oil being added to the pan, but I promise that it is JUST right for 4 cups of pasta. You don’t want it to be super dry otherwise it will just taste bland!
I think this is one of the best dishes to make during dinner parties as a side dish or appetizer because it’s easy to make it in advance since it doesn’t need to be served hot. I, on the other hand, brought a big bowl of it to work and it was gone within minutes. The longer it sits in the fridge, the more time the pasta has to soak in the lemon/garlic flavors! 🙂
Hope you guys like my Garlic Lemon Pasta Salad recipe as much as I do!! ♥
xoxo
Garlic Lemon Pasta Salad
- 4 cups pasta (al dente)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 7 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 lemon (sliced)
- 1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 handful of basil (about 15-20 leaves, chopped)
- 10 small balls of mozzarella cheese
-
Boil pasta per package instructions. Add a generous amount of salt. Be sure to keep it al-dente.
-
While pasta is boiling, add olive oil to a pot on medium heat. Once it is heated, add in the garlic.
-
Let the garlic cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
-
Place in the lemon slices and let everything cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in black pepper per taste.
-
Stir occasionally and then add in the crushed red pepper.
-
Pasta should be done by now so drain all of the water and then add in the pasta to the garlic lemon sauce.
-
Toss it with some fresh basil leaves and mozzarella balls. Add an extra squeeze of lemon if desired.
-
Put in the refrigerator for 2 hours and serve cold or eat immediately!
