On hot summer days, we naturally turn to cool and light dishes: rice and pasta salads are thus the stars of our tables, especially when they are quick, fresh, and tasty: like this cold pasta with eggplants and cherry tomatoes, a delicious dish with a typically Mediterranean flavor that will surely win over even those who experience a slight loss of appetite during the summer (not me unfortunately 😊).
The recipe for this Mediterranean pasta salad is very simple and includes grilled eggplants, datterini or cherry tomatoes, fresh cheese (primosale, giuncata, or classic mozzarella), and basil. You can prepare the cold pasta with eggplants and cherry tomatoes using any short pasta shape you prefer: I favor fusilli or cannolicchi, but penne, mezze penne, and farfalle are also great choices!
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 657.50 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 82.83 (g) of which sugars 8.57 (g)
- Proteins 26.41 (g)
- Fat 26.90 (g) of which saturated 1.85 (g)of which unsaturated 0.89 (g)
- Fibers 6.67 (g)
- Sodium 150.14 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 305 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Eggplants
- 11.5 oz fusilli (or other pasta of choice, for me gluten-free)
- 0.75 lbs eggplants
- 0.75 lbs datterini cherry tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
- 7 oz primosale (fresh)
- 1 clove garlic
- 5 leaves basil
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Salad Bowl large
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Grill Pan non-stick
How to prepare Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Eggplants and Cherry Tomatoes
To prepare the cold pasta with eggplants and cherry tomatoes, first you need to grill the eggplants (you can find the procedure here). Then, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta. Drain it al dente and immediately dress it with a drizzle of oil; let it cool slightly.
Meanwhile, peel the garlic, cut it in half, and rub it along the sides of a large salad bowl (1); this will give aroma to the pasta salad without being indigestible.
Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them into pieces (2). Place them in the salad bowl and season with oil, salt, and basil (3).
Cut the grilled eggplants into pieces (4) and add them to the tomatoes. Cut the cheese into not too large cubes (5). I used fresh primosale cheese, which has a delicate and fresh flavor, but you can use giuncata or classic mozzarella instead.
Add the cheese to the salad bowl and mix well to flavor all the ingredients (6). At this point, add the now lukewarm pasta, mix well, and let it cool for a few hours in the refrigerator.
Serve the cold pasta with eggplants and cherry tomatoes for a summer lunch, or bring it to the beach in a cooler bag.
Storage
You can store the cold pasta with eggplants and cherry tomatoes in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
Tips and Variations
The Mediterranean pasta salad recipe lends itself to many modifications: for a richer dish, you can add sweet black olives, diced cooked ham, or a bit of canned tuna. For a more intense flavor, you can use Greek feta instead of primosale.
