Pasta Salad with Salmon, Peas, and Herbs

Imagine a decadently rich creamy pasta salad that’s actually good for you. Well, here you have it. The secret is in the dressing, which has a base of tangy thickened yogurt that’s the ideal foil for the rich salmon. Sweet peas stud the dish with beautiful color, and dill and scallion make it delightfully fragrant and flavorful.

Pasta Salad with Salmon, Peas, and Herbs
(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup plain Greek-style nonfat 
yogurt
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon 
zest
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill, or 
2 teaspoons dried
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black 
pepper
• 1 (14-ounce) can wild red salmon, 
drained, skinned and boned, and 
cut into chunks
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen 
peas, defrosted
• ½ pound bowtie or corkscrew 
pasta, cooked according to package directions and cooled
• 2 scallions (white and green 
parts), minced (about ¼ cup)
• 8 cups chopped red-leaf lettuce

Directions

1. Combine yogurt, lemon juice, mayonnaise, lemon zest, dill, salt, and pepper in bowl and whisk to incorporate.
2. Add salmon, peas, pasta, and scallions and toss to incorporate.
3. Pasta salad will keep up to 2 days in an airtight container in refrigerator.
4. To serve, mound 2 cups of lettuce onto each plate or into to-go containers and scoop about 1 ¾ cups of pasta salad on top.

Recipe and photo from So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week, by Ellie Krieger. www.elliekrieger.com © 2009 by Ellie Krieger. Used with permission. All rights reserved.