Quick and Easy Pasta Salad Recipe for a first course with all raw dressing, perfect for summer!
I added lots of vegetables, then sliced the zucchini with a mandoline to make them thin and crunchy for a tasty bite!
This cold pasta, so colorful and full of flavors, is definitely one of the most popular dishes of the summer.
It’s good for all occasions, from a beach meal to a delicious buffet at some important event, and just add some more gourmet ingredients for a more intriguing taste.
COLD PASTA SHAPES
Generally, cold pasta has a short shape like maccheroncini, farfalle, and fusilli, although… on the blog, you’ll find long cold pasta like spaghetti seasoned with bottarga.
HOW TO COOL DOWN COLD PASTA
I confess… often after draining the pasta, I rinse it for a few seconds under cold water to stop the cooking and then mix it with the various flavors that will be the dressing for the cold pasta.
Well, I know, we all know that it should be drained a bit more al dente and then allowed to cool slowly with a little oil and stirring, but often you’re in a hurry and…
Cooling the pasta under a stream of water would remove the pasta’s starch, which is fundamental for the dressing to adhere perfectly to the chosen pasta.
THE INGREDIENTS FOR COLD PASTA
Well, from the classic mix of diced vegetables to diced mozzarella, canned tuna or tuna in water, capers, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and much more.
Herbs like parsley, basil, and chives are also important, as they give a nice boost to the flavor of the main dish.
I almost forgot… hard-boiled eggs go well too, don’t you think?
HOW TO DRESS COLD PASTA
Besides the classic dressing with extra virgin olive oil, we can use Genoese pesto or mayonnaise.
HOW TO STORE COLD PASTA
The cold pasta can be made in advance, but be careful because the pasta becomes sticky and not too inviting, so don’t overdo it!
Here are also these cold pasta and rice recipes:
TASTY COLD PASTA SALAD
SIMPLE AND TASTY RICE SALAD
QUICK AND EASY PASTA SALAD RECIPE
The kitchen of ASI
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 204.60 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 14.92 (g) of which sugars 1.28 (g)
- Proteins 9.49 (g)
- Fat 12.43 (g) of which saturated 4.19 (g)of which unsaturated 2.45 (g)
- Fibers 1.17 (g)
- Sodium 413.18 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 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
- 4.2 oz farfalle
- 2.5 oz bell peppers
- 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1.4 oz taggiasca olives
- 1.8 oz zucchini
- 1.8 oz scamorza cheese
- 7 oz mozzarella (bocconcini already drained from the liquid)
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste dried oregano
- to taste chopped parsley
Preparation of the Quick and Easy Pasta Salad Recipe
To prepare this rich pasta salad, begin by washing, cleaning, and cutting all the vegetables listed above among the ingredients.
Drain the mozzarella balls from the liquid and cut them in half, also slicing the classic or smoked scamorza cheese as desired.
Prepare the pasta as well by placing a saucepan with salted water on the stove and cooking it to al dente at the boil.
In a large bowl, pour the pasta, cooled slowly on a surface and just seasoned with EVO oil, then add the various prepared vegetables.
Add the olives, chopped parsley, a pinch of oregano, and season with extra virgin olive oil and adjust the salt.
Mix well to blend aromas and flavors and after covering the container with plastic wrap, place it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Another pasta salad, you’ll say… indeed, there are already quite a few on the blog, and for this year, I SWEAR I won’t make any more!
Have a good day and enjoy your meal!
Annalisa
