Salmon Pasta Salad
With a little lemon zest, take your pasta salad to the next level. This is a great example of a healthy spin on a classic recipe that will be sure to stand out at any get together.
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion
- 2 ribs celery
- 1 can (14-ounce) salmon
- 2 cups dry whole grain rotini pasta
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 10 drops red pepper sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Wash celery, red onion and parsley thoroughly, dry and chop.
- Wipe off top of salmon can.
- In a medium size pot, bring 2 quarts water to boil.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook until slightly firm, for 7—10 minutes.
- Remove cooked pasta from heat and drain.
- Remove salmon from can and chop into bite size pieces removing any large bones.
- In medium bowl, stir together salmon, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Add celery, red onion, parsley, dill, pepper sauce and black pepper to salmon mixture.
- Mix cooked pasta into the salmon mixture.
- Serve chilled.
Notes
Smart Shopping Tips
- Whenever cooking whole wheat pasta for a salad, cook al dente (slightly firm). This allows the other ingredients to be easily combined and hold well with the pasta.
- Purchase canned salmon when they are on sale and store in your pantry for later use.
- Try different shapes of whole grain pastas.
- To zest a lemon, use the small holes on a grater to remove only the outer yellow rind. The white pith underneath will be bitter. Zest before cutting and juicing.
- Prepare salmon salad without the pasta and serve as a dip. Scoop onto whole wheat crackers or cucumbers and make your own snack foods.
- Add cucumbers or red peppers to add a little extra crunch.
- This recipe can also be made with tuna. Select light tuna packed in water