I love pasta salads. They are so easy to make. For this salad you can sub zucchini with another veggie of your choice and you can also sub the mortadella with any other cold cut like ham, salami, prosciutto or turkey breast. The list is endless. ENJOY the salad.

Penne Zucchini and Mortadella Salad

Difficulty: easy
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Preparation time: 20 minutes; Serves: 4-6

Salad Ingredients

450g (1 pound) dried Penne
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large zucchini, julienned into short strips
175g (6oz) thinly sliced mortadella, cut into thin strips
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

Dressing Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup 35% (heavy) cream
3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the pasta: boil the pasta in plenty of salted water as per packet instructions until al dente. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set aside to cool, completely.
Stir fry the Zucchini: heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet or wok over medium high heat and stir-fry the zucchini for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
Make the dressing: place all dressing ingredients in a bowl or bottle and whisk or shake to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste and adjust the lemon juice.
Toss the salad: place all salad ingredients (cooled pasta, mortadella, parsley and parmesan) in a large salad bowl and toss to combine. Pour dressing over and toss again. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve at room temperature.

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Step By Step Photos

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet or wok over medium high heat and stir-fry the zucchini for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.