Leftover roasted salmon and vegetables get a fresh second life in this easy pasta or orzo salad. Tossed with the remaining lemon and herb vinaigrette and finished with fresh basil, it comes together in minutes—especially if the pasta is cooked the night before. It’s a practical way to turn one dinner into two meals while saving time, reducing waste and making busy school mornings a little easier.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- Reserved cooked salmon, flaked into large pieces
- Reserved roasted sweet potatoes, corn, zucchini, tomatoes and onions
- 350 g short pasta (fusilli, gemelli or penne) or 350 g orzo, cookeduntil al dente and cooled
- 2 handfuls baby spinach or arugula
- ¼ cup crumbled feta (optional)
- Remaining Lemon & Herb Vinaigrette
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon wedges
Method
- Cook the pasta or orzo according to the package directions until aldente. Drain and cool under cold running water. Better still, cook it theevening before while dinner is in the oven, cool it and refrigerate overnight.
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta or orzo, roasted vegetables, spinach,basil and fresh herbs.
- Gently fold in the flaked salmon, being careful not to break it up toomuch.
- Toss with the remaining Lemon & Herb Vinaigrette until everything islightly coated.
- Finish with crumbled feta if desired, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a fewgrinds of black pepper.
Serve chilled or at roomtemperature.
One tray can become two mealswith very little extra effort. By cooking a little more salmon and vegetablesat dinner, tomorrow’s lunch is almost ready saving time, reducing food wasteand making homemade meals an easier option during the busy back-to-schoolseason.
More importantly, the lesson cango well beyond this particular recipe. Learn to look at what you’re cookingtonight and ask what it could become tomorrow. A tray of roasted vegetables, afew pieces of salmon or chicken, or a pot of grains can be the beginning ofanother meal rather than the end of this one.
Less waste, less washing up andone less meal to worry about tomorrow that’s a kitchen lesson worth learning.
