Vegetable Noodle Salad With Sesame Vinaigrette

Amarante

Sun, Jul 30 2023, 5:28 pm

Very good variant of pasta salad which typically has more of an Italian feel - and a great way to combine veggies and carbs and make ahead

Vegetable Noodle Salad With Sesame Vinaigrette

This pasta salad is bursting with more than two pounds of sweet summer vegetables and brightened by a rich, tangy sesame-ginger vinaigrette. The angel hair pasta is broken into pieces for easy scooping, making it perfect for picnics and potlucks. It’s a great make-ahead meal that travels well — and develops even more flavor as it sits. You can prepare it a few hours ahead and keep it at room
temperature.

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

Kosher salt and black pepper
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar - I used rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons grated peeled ginger
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1 pound angel hair pasta, noodles broken into thirds
2 tablespoons safflower or canola oil
1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 red or yellow medium bell peppers, cored, seeded and sliced lengthwise ⅛-inch thick
8 ounces snap peas, halved lengthwise
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions, plus more for garnish
Toasted white sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

PREPARATION

Bring a pot of water to a boil, and season generously with salt.

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, ginger and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and mix well.

Once the water boils, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ¾ cup pasta cooking water, then drain. Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Add half the dressing and ¼ cup pasta water, season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat.

Meanwhile, in a large deep-sided saucepan, heat safflower oil over medium. Add onion and bell peppers, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Add snap peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, ¼ cup pasta water and the remaining dressing. Stir to deglaze the pan and lift the browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, then add vegetable mixture (with sauce) and scallions to pasta and toss until well combined (add more pasta water if thinner sauce is desired). Season with salt and pepper.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds, if using.