Summer is heating up and there is nothing better than a side dish of pasta salad with your grilled meat or fish. I like salads, all kinds. A pasta salad allows you to be creative by adding the ingredients you love and to finish it with your favorite vinaigrette. This salad is not mayonnaise based making it a perfect addition to your summer meals.
You can use a bottled Italian dressing, Good Seasons seasoning mix, or make your own (see recipe below); the options for homemade are extensive. Fusilli or rotini pasta and assorted vegetables, meats and cheese all are important ingredients and add them to your taste. You could even use cheese tortellini instead of the fusilli.
One of the reasons for this post was the discovery of a new ingredient, sweety drop miniature peppers, which I enjoyed at a local restaurant recently. The restaurant used it as a garnish for a fancy duck confit egg roll, which was also delicious by the way. I wish I would have taken a picture of that appetizer. Sweety drop peppers are my new “love” but why do they have to be so expensive? Just coming into the market has made these peppers a bit pricey and so far I have only found them through Amazon. Seeds are available so you can even grow your own sweety drops.
These cute peppers originated in the Peruvian Amazon, where they were brought back to the Gandules Inc. headquarters in Peru. Over 2 years the growing and cultivation process was perfected. Because of their small size and wonderful sweet/hot flavor they are very versatile. Perfect for a charcuterie or cheese platter, salads, pizzas and any dish where you want to add a pop of color and flavor.
Don’t you just love the looks of these tear-shaped peppers?
My other discovery was these “cutecumber” poppers at my local Italian grocery store. I could not resist buying them! Coming from Canada and greenhouse grown these little snack-sized cukes are delicious. They provided a nice “crunch” to my pasta salad.
Italian-American Pasta Salad
In addition to the pasta choose any ingredients listed below that you would like to add to your pasta salad.
- 8 oz. fusilli pasta or a pasta of your choice, tricolor rotini would be a good choice for more color
- pepperoni or salami slices, cut into pieces
- sweety drop peppers (other sweet peppers such as red or green)
- red onion, sliced (see Note 1)
- Kalamata olives, sliced or left whole, pitted (I buy the little snack containers to use in a recipe like this instead of opening up a big can
- mini Mozarella balls or provolone, cut into pieces or any cheese of your choice
- Parmesan cheese, grated
- Pepperoncini (I like deli sliced)
- cherry tomatoes, halved or maybe sun-dried tomatoes
- small jarred artichoke hearts, chopped into smaller pieces
- toasted pine nuts, a tbsp. or two
- zuchinni, sliced and cut into smaller pieces
- cutecumbers or any other cucumber, cut into pieces
- carrots, shredded
- other veggies as desired
- parsley (to garnish)
- chives or green onions, chopped to garnish
I looked at a number of vinaigrettes including ones already on my site and decided to go with something new. I am a follower of recipetineats.com and decided Nagi’s dressing was the one I wanted to use.
Italian Vinaigrette – Recipe slightly adapted by recipetineats.com:
This is just enough vinaigrette for this salad.
- 2/3 cup EVOO
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1-1/2 tbsp. sugar which helps to balance out the vinegar (I found 1 tbsp. was enough)
- 3/4 tsp. garlic powder (you can use fresh garlic but you need to use the dressing within 3 days)
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil
- 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (I prefer 1/2 tsp.)
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Adjust seasonings and for less tang add more olive oil. For more tang add more vinegar. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Cook the pasta according to package directions a few minutes beyond al dente; in other words overcook the pasta. Through a process called retrogradation, the pasta naturally chills to tender. Cold pasta also has fewer carbohydrates than warm due to this process. Drain and rinse with cold water in a colander.
While the pasta is cooking make the vinaigrette and set aside. Prepare all the salad ingredients and set aside.
Add all of the salad ingredients to the pasta and pour the vinaigrette over all and toss to coat. Adjust the seasonings if necessary.
The salad is best made a few hours ahead or even overnight.
Note 1: According to seriouseats.com the best way to take the bite out of onions is to rinse under hot water for 45 seconds.
Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com
Well both combined Salad and Pasta? You can’t fail with that in summer ❤️! Thx for sharing
You’re welcome! It’s easy, delicious and a good way to clean out your refrigerator and pantry.
Perfect summer dish. Love the addition of crunchy cucumbers in it.
I think so too Ronit – those mini little cukes were crispy-good 🙂