Tahini and Greens Pasta Salad

• servings: 4 servings
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

8 ounces short-to-medium pasta, such as orecchiette, fusilli, or penne

4 ounces (115g) asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

4 ounces (115g) green beans, trimmed and cut into-2 inch pieces

1/3 cup (75g tahini

1 small lemon, (zested)

2 ½ – 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, (about 1 medium lemon)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

4 tablespoons water, (to thin)

1 (15-ounce / 440g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup (12-15g) soft tender herbs, chopped finely (I used parsley, dill, and basil)

¼ cup (30g) hemp seeds

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add pasta and cook according to the box but add 1 minute to the maximum cook time (e.g., if range is 9-11 minutes, plan to cook the pasta for 12 minutes). When there is 5 minutes of cooking time left, add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes; then add the asparagus and cook for another 3 minutes.

While the pasta and vegetables are cooking, prepare an ice bath. Fill a large bowl of water with ice and cold water.

As soon as the pasta is al dente and the veggies are crisp tender, drain immediately and transfer to an ice bath (or use a strainer to directly transfer them from the pot to the ice bath). Drain the pasta and veggies from the ice bath in a colander. Shake off the excess water, but it’s okay if the pasta is still a little damp because it will help bring the sauce together. Lightly sprinkle the drained pasta and veggies with a bit of kosher salt.

While the pasta and veggies are cooling, make the Lemon Tahini Sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Stream in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk until pourable yet still somewhat thick.

Once the pasta and veggies are cooled, add them to the sauce. Toss well to coat. Add the chickpeas, hemp seeds, and fresh herbs, then toss to combine. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper as needed.

Nutrition

• Calories: 534 kcal
• Total Fat: 23 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
• Sodium: 601 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 68 g
• Dietary Fiber: 10 g
• Total Sugars: 4 g
• Protein: 19 g