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This pasta salad was a hit when Alison and I made up a giant batch to serve at the Taste of Sonoma event a few years ago. I first made this for a potluck picnic at church and no less than five people came up to me and said, “Did you by chance make that quinoa salad? It was de-LICOUS!” (When pondering what to name it, Sierra even recommended Really Yummy Pasta Salad.) And here I was afraid the quinoa would freak people out. Truth is, there’s a lot to love about this salad—a healthy dose of whole grains in the form of quinoa and whole grain penne, a break from basil with chives and parsley, and a lip-smacking tart-sweet balance from the corn and lime juice combo. This pasta salad is a potluck winner, whether you're making it for a backyard barbecue or a high-end event. And, yep, you can make this pasta salad a day in advance—in fact it tastes even better when you do, because the flavors have time to develop.

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
  • 2 tablespoons chives, snipped
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly-squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
  • 1 cup mixed cherry tomatoes, sliced cross-wise into 1/4-inch slices
  • 1 cup squash (or zucchini), cut into 1/4-inch wedges
  • 4 ounces whole grain penne, cooked and drained
  • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Nicoise olives, pitted and halved lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

  • Combine 1-1/2 cups water and quinoa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
  • While quinoa is cooking, pound the chives to a paste in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil, and scoop into a small bowl. Whisk in lime juice, vinegar and garlic, and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, combine quinoa, corn, tomatoes, squash, pasta, parsley, olives and feta. Pour dressing over top, and toss well to coat. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
Servings: 6
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