Mediterranean Bow-Tie Pasta Salad

Method

1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. You can skip the salt or add just a small pinch; the dressing brings plenty of flavour.

2. Add the pasta and cook according to the packet, usually 10 to 12 minutes. If you prefer a softer bite, cook it a minute or two longer than the packet suggests.

3. While the pasta cooks, make the dressing: put the basil, olive oil, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, garlic and water into a small blender or a tall jug and blitz with a stick blender until smooth. Season with pepper.

4. Halve the tomatoes, dice the cucumber and tip the rinsed beans into a large serving bowl.

5. Drain the pasta. To avoid lifting a heavy pan of boiling water, scoop the pasta out with a slotted spoon or spider strainer, or use a pan with a built-in strainer lid. Rinse briefly under cold water and shake well.

6. Add the pasta to the bowl with the beans, pour over the dressing and toss while the pasta is still slightly warm, so it soaks up the flavours.

7. Fold in the tomatoes and cucumber. If you are serving straight away, add the spinach or rocket and the feta now; if you are making it ahead, keep them separate until just before eating.

8. Taste and add a squeeze more lemon or a twist of pepper if needed. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.

Why it suits later years

Whole-wheat pasta and cannellini beans together give this salad roughly 9 g of fibre and 13 g of protein per serving, a filling combination that keeps you going through the afternoon. The beans count as protein and as a vegetable portion, which makes them one of the most useful cans in the cupboard.

The dressing is built on extra-virgin olive oil, lemon and fresh basil, in the spirit of Mediterranean-style eating, which public health guidance often holds up as a good everyday pattern. Choosing no-salt-added beans and going easy on the feta keeps sodium modest at around 190 mg per serving.

• Gentle to chew: cook the pasta until fully soft, quarter the tomatoes and choose spinach rather than peppery rocket, which can be stringy.
• No reheating needed: a ready-made lunch you can simply spoon into a bowl, which is handy on low-energy days.
• Easy on the hands: no fine chopping beyond halving tomatoes; a stick blender makes the dressing in seconds, and draining with a slotted spoon avoids lifting a heavy, hot pan.
• Plenty of colour: red, green and white on the plate means a good mix of vitamins without any extra effort.

Swaps & variations

• Shop-bought pesto: use 4 tablespoons loosened with lemon juice and water. Check the label, as many jars are quite salty.
• More protein: add a can of tuna in spring water, flaked cooked chicken or a couple of chopped hard-boiled eggs.
• Other beans: chickpeas or butter beans work just as well; butter beans are the softest of all.
• Gluten-free: use a gluten-free pasta made from brown rice or legumes, cooked until just tender as it can break up.
• Extra flavour: a few sliced roasted red peppers from a jar, or a handful of olives. Olives are salty, so a few go a long way.
• Dairy-free: leave out the feta and Parmesan and add a tablespoon of toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds to the dressing instead.

Keeping & reheating

Store the salad without the leaves and feta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta absorbs the dressing as it sits, so freshen it up with a squeeze of lemon and a spoonful of water or olive oil before serving.

This salad is meant to be eaten cool or at room temperature, so there is no need to reheat it; take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before eating for the best flavour. We don't recommend freezing it, as the tomatoes, cucumber and pasta go watery and soft once thawed.