Recipe: Seashell Salad with Buttermilk Chive Dressing

In a recent issue of Cooking Light, there was a feature on summer entree salads that caught my eye.  They all looked delicious, but this one stood out and wound up being the first one I tried – probably because it’s the least “salad-y” of them all.

Due to the buttermilk dressing and the fresh herbs, this dish tastes quite indulgent and rich.  The pasta gives it a little carby “oomph” (which I appreciate, as I am in the throes of marathon training), and of course the prosciutto adds a nice salty finish.  It’s not a meatless dish, obviously, but it certainly could be.  I’d suggest making extra dressing and saving it for later (or at least stashing the extra ingredients for use in another salad) – it’s really delicious!

• 8  ounces  uncooked seashell pasta
• 1  cup  frozen green peas
• 1/4  cup  organic canola mayonnaise
• 1/4  cup  fat-free buttermilk
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh chives
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  cups  loosely packed baby arugula
• 1  teaspoon  olive oil
• 2  ounces  finely chopped prosciutto (about 1/2 cup)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Add peas to pasta during last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well.

While pasta cooks, combine mayonnaise and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl. Add pasta mixture and arugula; toss to coat.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto; sauté 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle prosciutto over salad.

About these ads

---

Posted in Recipes
Tags: Cooking Light, Recipes, Salads