Garden Dill Pasta Salad

Written By Marion Horan

I really like this recipe because it's fresh, flavorful, and it introduces another way to enjoy vegetables without feeling like "diet food.  I'd think of this as a carbohydrate/vegetable side dish, not the main event. Pairing it with chicken makes it a balanced meal.

Makes: 8 side servings

Ingredients

Dill Pesto

  • 2 cups fresh dill, destemed

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

  • ¼–⅓ cup pine nuts, (optional pan toasted)

  • Juice of ½ lemon

  • Pinch of salt & pepper

  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Pasta Salad

  • 1 box chickpea rotini (8 oz)

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 1 cup cucumber, diced. — I also made this using green bean and it was great!

  • Kernels from 2 ears fresh corn

  • Dill pesto

How to:

Make the Pesto first.

  1. In a blender or food processor, combine dill, garlic, nutritional yeast, pine nuts and juice of ½ lemon. Blend until equalty chopped.

  2. With the blender running, gradually add the EVOO.

  3. Season with salt & pepper.


Make the Salad

  1. Cook pasta based on package directions and drain.

  2. In a large bowl combine tomatoes, corn kernels and cucumber.

  3. Add the cooked pasta and ¼ cup Dill Pesto (more or less depending on your liking. I find more is better but you do you).

Dill is a big Deal (aka Nutrition Highlight)

Did you know that 1 tablespoon of dill has more Calcium than 1/3 cup of milk?. It is also a great source of Vitamin A and C.

Dill is a low-calorie herb (1 cup contains just 4 Calories) that is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and protective plant compounds. [1, 2].

Fresh dill also offers supportive amounts of key minerals calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium, while dill seeds provide an even higher concentrated mineral boost per tablespoon. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Health Benefits

  • Fights cell damage: Dill contains powerful antioxidants like flavonoids and terpenoids that reduce oxidative stress.

  • Aids digestion: Natural oils in the herb help relax digestive muscles to ease gas and bloating.

  • Supports blood sugar: Early research shows dill may help manage blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance.

Marion Horan

Marion is a health and wellness expert openly sharing her wisdom and tools with others.  Inspiring, empowering, and leading with love for a better tomorrow for us all.  

https://marionearthhug.com
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