Green Bean Sesame Yogurt Pasta Salad

Recipes, , , , , , ,

This recipe, adapted from the “Pasta Salad with Tangy Sesame-Yogurt Sauce” in Peter Berley’s The Modern Vegetarian Kitchen, was submitted by CSA member Sharon.

She writes: “I used a ricotta-stuffed pasta here, but you can substitute if you like. Just try to stick with a pasta that will go along with the spices in the sauce. You can make the sauce a day or two ahead of time. You can cook the vegetables and pasta head of time as well. Just keep the pasta separate and toss with a bit of oil before storing in the refrigerator. Combine all the components just before serving. You can use raw tomatoes here, although I prefer roasted – like the ones in the back of Super Natural Every Day.”

Print

Green Bean Sesame Yogurt Pasta Salad

Ingredients

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ cup warm water
  • ½ cup tahini (sesame paste)
  • ½ cup plain or Greek yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Fine grain sea salt

Salad:

  • 1 big handful broccoli florets
  • 1 big handful cauliflower florets
  • 1 big handful green beans cut into 1 ½-inch segments
  • ½ pound stuffed pasta ravioli, etc. (8oz or 225g)
  • Handful cherry tomatoes raw or roasted
  • Small handful torn basil and/or cilantro

Instructions

  1. Get a big pot of water started - you are going to want to bring it to a boil.
  2. While the water is heating, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  3. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and tumeric. Stir well, and sauté for just 15-30 seconds, or until the spices are toasted and fragrant. Transfer this mixture to a medium mixing bowl and stir in the water, tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Taste and adjust to your liking - you most likely will need a bit more salt. Set aside.
  4. Salt the pot of water generously, and boil the broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans. Boil just 30 seconds, and quickly fish out with a slotted spoon. Run the vegetables under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
  5. Return the water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until al dente, then drain and run under cold water. Really try to shake off any extra water, then add to the vegetables.
  6. Add the tomatoes, and toss gently. You can toss with half of the sauce at this point, or serve the salad with dollops of the sauce on top - to be tossed at the table. It's prettier this way.
  7. Sprinkle with the basil/cilantro (and basil flowers if you have them) and serve. Serve the extra sauce on the side - any leftover makes a good dip later in the week.

Recipe Notes

Prep time: 10 min.  Cook time: 10 min.