Description
Mediterranean pasta salad brings sunshine from Italy’s coastal regions to your plate. Fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and tangy feta create a light yet satisfying dish you’ll crave all summer long.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 310 g (10.9 oz) small shell-shaped pasta
- 255 g (9 oz) yellow cherry tomatoes
- 255 g (9 oz) red cherry tomatoes
- 1 handful black olives, pitted
- ½ cucumber
Fresh Herbs and Aromatics:
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives
- 1 handful fresh basil
Dressing and Seasonings:
- 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or to taste
- 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a rolling boil. Add whole garlic cloves and pasta, cooking until the pasta reaches an al dente texture. Carefully drain and immediately rinse under cold running water to halt the cooking process and cool down the ingredients.
- Carefully extract the softened garlic cloves from their papery skins and set aside for preparing the dressing. Transfer the cooled pasta to a spacious mixing bowl.
- Finely dice the cucumber, chives, fresh basil leaves, olives, and ripe tomatoes into uniform pieces approximately half the size of the pasta pieces, ensuring consistent texture and even distribution throughout the salad.
- Using a mortar and pestle, thoroughly crush the reserved garlic cloves into a smooth paste. Gradually incorporate vinegar, olive oil, and selected seasonings, whisking until the ingredients form a harmonious, well-integrated dressing.
- Gently pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture, using a large spoon to delicately coat all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional herbs or salt and pepper as needed, ensuring a balanced and flavorful final dish.
Notes
- Selecting the right pasta shape matters most for texture and sauce absorption.
- Chilling ingredients beforehand enhances the overall salad’s refreshing quality.
- Chopping vegetables uniformly ensures consistent flavor in every bite.
- Storing leftovers requires airtight containers to maintain crispness.
- Preparing components ahead saves time during meal preparation.
- Customize the recipe by adding protein like grilled chicken or shrimp.
- Experiment with herbs from your garden for a personalized touch.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly than cold ones.
- Rinsing pasta under cold water stops cooking and prevents clumping.
- Draining pasta thoroughly prevents watery dressing and soggy texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg