Pasta and Spring Vegetables with Feta

Pasta & spring vegetables with feta

8
Points®
Total Time
50 min
Prep
30 min
Cook
20 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
This colorful pasta celebrates the best of spring produce. It includes fava beans, asparagus, tomatoes, and lots of parsley and mint. You can also use fresh peppermint or spearmint in this recipe, though spearmint will give the dish a more delicate flavor. If you don't care for mint, try fresh basil or cilantro instead. For added convenience, the fava beans and asparagus are blanched in the same pot that you cook the pasta in. Toss together the tomatoes, herbs, oil, and seasonings in a big bowl, add the drained pasta and vegetables, and your delicious dinner is ready. Just be sure to sprinkle everything with lots of feta before serving.

Ingredients

Uncooked whole wheat pasta

½ pound(s), fusilli variety

Raw fava beans

1½ cup(s), (shelled beans) or thawed frozen peeled fava beans

Asparagus

½ pound(s), spears, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths

Grape tomatoes

2 cup(s), or cherry tomatoes (1 pint), halved

Fresh parsley

¼ cup(s), flat-leaf, chopped

Fresh mint leaves

2 Tbsp, thinly sliced

Extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp

Lemon zest

½ tsp, grated

Fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp

Garlic

2 clove(s), minced

Table salt

½ tsp

Black pepper

¼ tsp

Crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup(s)

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, adding the fava beans and the asparagus during last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain again.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, parsley, mint, oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the feta.
  3. Per serving: 1 1/2 cups