Zingy/Spicy Pasta Salad

Zingy/Spicy Pasta Salad

Okay, confession time; I wanted to buy ONE Jalapeño pepper for a recipe (coming soon!) but the second store in a row only sold them by the pack…. The pack! So here I am, with A PACK of jalapeño peppers and it came to me: Spicy Pasta Salad, in honour of summer/BBQ season AND my PACK of jalapeño peppers.

Serves 6-8

3 Cups small pasta, I used small shells

¾ Cup fat free sour cream (Greek yogurt will work here too)

¼ Cup milk (I used 2%)

¼ Cup pesto (you can use your favourite store-bought in a pinch)

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 Stalk celery, diced

1 Small red onion, diced

1 Jalapeño pepper, diced (I got rid of the seeds)

¼ Cup sliced black olives

Put a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta and then once the water is boiling, cook the pasta according to package directions.

Whisk together the sour cream, milk, pesto, vinegar and salt and pepper; set aside.

Once the pasta is cooked and strained, combine it with the dressing (as soon as the pasta is strained; slightly wet and still very hot is key).

Add in the celery, onion and jalapeno peppers and again, mix well.

Refrigerate for one hour.

Add in the black olives just before serving.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Notes:

1. At first the dressing will seem to thin and like there is too much of it but the pasta will absorb it as it sits.
2. Use any (small shape) of pasta you’d like.

Zingy/Spicy Pasta Salad

Servings 8

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 9 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cup small pasta , I used small shells
• 3/4 cup at free sour cream (Greek yogurt will work here too)
• 1/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
• 1/4 cup pesto (you can use your favourite store-bought in a pinch)
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 Stalk celery , diced
• 1 Small red onion , diced
• Jalapeno pepper , diced (I got rid of the seeds)
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives

Instructions

1. Put a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta and then once the water is boiling, cook the pasta according to package directions.
2. Whisk together the sour cream, milk, pesto, vinegar and salt and pepper; set aside.
3. Once the pasta is cooked and strained, combine it with the dressing (as soon as the pasta is strained; slightly wet and still very hot is key).
4. Add in the celery, onion and jalapeno peppers and again, mix well.
5. Refrigerate for one hour.
6. Add in the black olives just before serving.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Recipe Notes

1. At first the dressing will seem to thin and like there is too much of it but the pasta will absorb it as it sits.
2. Use any (small shape) of pasta you’d like.