Green Bean and Whole-grain Penne Salad
Photo: Leo Gong; Styling: Dan Becker
Total Time 40 mins

This salad is all about contrasts in flavor and texture: chewy, nutty pasta mingled with crisp, sweet green beans and strewn with bits of crunchy bacon and creamy Roquefort.

How to Make It

Step 1
1

Bring 2 large pots of salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice and cold water. In one pot, boil green beans 3 minutes; drain and plunge in ice water to stop cooking. In the other, cook pasta until tender to the bite, 9 to 12 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water until completely cool (see Notes).

Step 2
2

In a food processor, pulse mayonnaise, Roquefort, and vinegar until well combined but still slightly chunky.

Step 3
3

In a large bowl, toss together pasta, green beans, Roquefort dressing, parsley, chives, bacon, and pepper until pasta is well coated. Season with salt to taste.

Step 4
4

Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1-cup serving.

Ingredients

 1 1/2 pounds green beans, stems trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-in. lengths
 16 ounces whole-grain penne, rotini, rotelle, or fusilli pasta
 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  About 1/3 lb. Roquefort cheese
 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
 3 tablespoons each finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and finely chopped chives
 5 crisply cooked thick slices bacon, crumbled
 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  Salt

Directions

Step 1
1

Bring 2 large pots of salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice and cold water. In one pot, boil green beans 3 minutes; drain and plunge in ice water to stop cooking. In the other, cook pasta until tender to the bite, 9 to 12 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water until completely cool (see Notes).

Step 2
2

In a food processor, pulse mayonnaise, Roquefort, and vinegar until well combined but still slightly chunky.

Step 3
3

In a large bowl, toss together pasta, green beans, Roquefort dressing, parsley, chives, bacon, and pepper until pasta is well coated. Season with salt to taste.

Step 4
4

Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1-cup serving.

Green Bean and Whole-Grain Penne Salad

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