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pasta salad with buttermilk feta dressing

Pasta Salad with Lemony Buttermilk & Feta Dressing

Brenda Lanzilli
Pasta Salad with a creamy yet tangy twist! A perfect side dish for any BBQ or to be enjoyed as a meal on its own. Loaded with crunchy vegetables, freshly torn herbs, and topped with sunflower seeds for good measure! As irresistible as it is beautiful!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, pasta, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 409 kcal

Ingredients
  

Buttermilk Feta Dressing

  • 5 oz good quality feta cheese crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp Louisiana-style hot sauce or a ¼ tsp cayyene pepper with 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon grated garlic use zester. or very finely mince
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Pasta Salad

  • 1 lb penne pasta al dente
  • 2 cups torn mixed tender fresh herbs such as basil, mint, dill, and chives, tarragon, parsely,
  • 1 cup thinly sliced celery about ¼ in thick. sliced on bias (diagonally)
  • 1½ cup Persian cucumbers ½ in thick. sliced on bias (diagonally)
  • 1 cup thinly sliced carrots ½ in thick. sliced on bias (diagonally)
  • ⅓ cup sliced scallions
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 3/4 cup salted roasted sunflower seed kernels add just before serving

Instructions
 

  • Boil pasta in salted water for 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
  • While pasta is boiling, combine feta, buttermilk, mayonnaise, hot sauce, lemon zest and juice, salt, garlic, and black pepper in a medium bowl.
  • Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl. Add buttermilk dressing, torn herbs, celery, carrots, cucumber, red onion, and and scallions. Toss to incorporate. Top with sunflower seeds just before serving to maintain their crunch.

Notes

Can be made 1-2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving. Drizzle and stir in in 1-2 tbsp of olive oil to loosen up dressing

Nutrition

Calories: 409kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 14gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 899mgPotassium: 370mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2891IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 146mgIron: 2mg
Keyword BBQ, buttermilk, feta, lemon, pasta salad, side dish, side salad, vegetarian
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