Parmesan Pasta Salad

• ¼ cup peanut oil
• 2 cups broccoli — cut into small bite-size florets
• ¼ cup scallions — thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic clove — minced
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 8 oz rotini pasta
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese — freshly grated
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes — halved

Optional Additions

• black pepper (optional) — freshly cracked
• olive oil (optional) — instead of peanut oil
• red pepper flakes (optional) — crushed
• basil (optional) — fresh, chopped

1. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the rotini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions, until just tender with no hard center. Drain thoroughly in a colander; do not rinse. Let stand for 5 minutes so the pasta remains warm.8 oz rotini pasta
2. Sauté the Broccoli Mixture: In a large skillet, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli, scallions, garlic, dried basil, and salt. Toss and stir constantly for about 4 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and tender-crisp and the garlic is fragrant but not browned.¼ cup peanut oil, 2 cups broccoli, ¼ cup scallions, 1 garlic clove, ½ tsp dried basil, ½ tsp salt
3. Toss the Salad Together: In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm pasta and broccoli mixture. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top and toss until evenly coated. Add the cherry tomatoes last and fold gently until evenly distributed.warm pasta, broccoli mixture, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 cup cherry tomatoes
4. Chill: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight, until well chilled.
5. Serve: Gently toss the salad once more and serve chilled.