Making pasta salad
Gluten-free pasta salad with arugula, celery, cherry tomatoes, dill, red onion, garlic, white beans and Gouda.
Pasta salad! YUMMY. It’s a wonderful way to eat your veggies and healthy carbs.
Pasta salads are incredibly flavorful with the mix of different ingredients, including herbs, garlic, vinegar, veggies, and cheese as you like. Most veggies can be used raw in pasta salad which means you can consume a lot of raw food in a tasty way—raw veggies, garlic and herbs are some of the healthiest things you can eat!
My favorite part of pasta salad is the practically infinite possibilities of different ingredient combos you can put together. They’re all delicious! Choose your pasta type (I love using gluten-free rice pastas), then add the mix-ins and dressing of your choice. Use the ingredients you have on hand or what’s in season and amazing at the time.
Another plus about pasta salad is the flavors develop over time so it’s actually better to make it ahead of time! Keep it in the fridge for 2 or 3 days, it tastes the best the day after you make it. And I love how you can make a huge bowl of pasta salad relatively easy and quickly, and it makes SO MUCH healthy. How well this lasts makes it an excellent dish to prepare for a summer picnic or potluck, or of course just for yourself at home!
Another version with gluten-free bowtie pasta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, ahi tuna, sliced fennel, strawberries, bell pepper, basil, shallots, garlic and balsamic vinegar.
Guerzoni makes my favorite vinegars! I think the quality of vinegar you use makes a huge difference in salads.
Step 1: Cook the pasta
The base of a good pasta salad is the pasta! Use a hearty pasta shape like fusili, rotini, penne or farfalle (bow tie). These have a great texture with nooks and crannies that trap bits of dressing and cheese in every bite. Make great pasta keeping in mind the following tips:
Salt your water. It seasons the pasta from the inside out! A rule of thumb is to use 2 tablespoons sea salt per pound of dry pasta. It sounds like a lot but it really enhances the flavor of your pasta!
Keep it al dente. Test the doneness of the pasta before the cooking time is up! It often takes less time than the pasta box calls for. You definitely don’t want to cook pasta too long because that equals mushy and mushy pasta is no good.
Don't rinse your pasta. Drain pasta but don’t rinse off the light coating of starch that remains on the pasta! That starch acts kinda like glue that will help the dressing adhere to it.
Step 2: Choose pasta salad mix-ins
Fatty/Creamy Mix-Ins It’s a nice idea to include one or two fatty item to make all that pasta and veggies feel more flavorful and indulgent!
mozzarella balls, halved or quartered
hard Gouda, shaved
Parmesan, shredded
sharp cheddar, shredded
Ricotta Salata cheese, crumbled
feta, crumbled
goat cheese, crumbled
bleu cheese, crumbled
avocado, chunks
Fresh/Crunchy Mix-Ins Bring on the veggies! Add as many veggies as you like.
arugula or baby spinach
kale, chopped
radicchio, chopped
bell peppers, chopped or sliced
celery, chopped
cherry tomatoes, halved
carrots, grated
cucumber, chopped
zucchini, sliced in rounds
radish, sliced in rounds
cauliflower or broccoli, blanched and chopped
green beans, blanched
asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces and blanched
Broccolini, blanched
fennel, sliced
raw red onion, sliced
green onion (or scallions), thinly sliced
winter squash, roasted and chopped
beets, roasted and chopped
artichoke hearts, chopped
red grapes, halved
strawberries, sliced
Hearty Mix-Ins To make your pasta salad even more heavy and satisfying, try one or a couple of these elements!
chickpeas
white beans
hard-boiled eggs, chopped
nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped—such as smoked almonds, pistachios, pine nuts
shrimp, broiled or grilled
canned tuna
Salty Mix-Ins To balance the pasta salad flavors, add a salty ingredient!
capers
olives, halved—such as Kalamata
pickled onions (or really anything pickled)
pepperoncini or banana peppers, sliced
anchovies, chopped
Brightly Flavored Mix-Ins If you’re like me, you LOVE herbs! Pretty much the most flavorful food on earth is fresh herbs. Chopped herbs just make the salad feel so fresh and vibrant. Use one herb, or a combo of a few! You can also add citrus zest or juice for an acidic flavor zing.
basil
dill
oregano
parsley
chives
zest or juice from a lemon, lime or orange
Step 3: Make the dressing
Oil: Use a delicious olive oil for a rich flavor, or grapeseed oil for a neutral oil.
Vinegar: There are many delicious vinegars on the market! Try balsamic vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or raw apple cider vinegar.
Flavorings: Give your dressing personality with minced clove of garlic or shallot, dried or fresh herbs, a scoop of Dijon mustard, or a tablespoon or two of poppy seeds! You can also add spices like crushed red pepper flakes.
Sweeteners: Sometimes a dressing can really benefit from a teaspoon or two of raw honey, maple syrup or plain sugar! It’s not always necessary, but if a dressing turns out a bit too acidic try adding this to round out the flavor profile.
Creaminess: For a creamy, thick dressing, try a bit of mayo! For a non-dairy creamy feel, you can also puree your dressing with ripe avocado instead.
Salt and pepper: Crucial to most dishes, is great seasoning of a high-quality sea salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation
In a large bowl, toss together your choice of pasta, veggies, cheese, and other mix-ins.
Make the dressing in a separate small bowl or jar. Mix together your choice of oil, vinegar, herbs, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Add dressing to pasta, toss and serve.
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What you’ll need
Jovial Brown Rice Pasta 3-Pack
$19 AT AMAZON
Balsamic Vinegar from Modena
$11 AT AMAZON
Wonderful Pistachios
$16 AT AMAZON
Safe Catch Wild Tuna 8-Pack
$24 AT AMAZON