Ideal for a work lunch, a picnic in the park, or a summer barbecue, cold pasta salad is easy to prepare – but just as easy to botch as its pitfalls lie hidden in its simplicity. Burnt pasta, sticky pasta, and dressings that don’t mesh well are the sort of drawbacks that could diminish a winning recipe into an irretrievable flop. So here are some pointers to keep in mind along with some recipes.
The shape and size of the pasta
Size is important for pasta salad, and short pasta, such as fusilli, rigatoni, penne, and mezze penne work best. If using spaghetti, it’s essential to dress it appropriately – we include a recipe below. Since the pasta absorbs the dressing, it's always better to drain the pasta a couple of minutes before the cooking time indicated on the packaging so it doesn't get too soggy.
Cooking the pasta
The quickest and most widespread method is to run it under cold water as soon as it's drained. Doing this removes the layer of starch that coats it, which therefore removes some of the flavors. Instead, place the pasta into a salad bowl, toss it with a drizzle of oil, and then spread it out on a plate or a tray covered with greaseproof paper.
Dressing pasta salad
Add the dressing once the pasta is completely cold. Otherwise, it could turn into pasty slop. It's best not to use creamy cheese and spreads like ricotta, gorgonzola, or mayonnaise. Also, if you’re using raw vegetables, it’s best to julienne them instead of dicing.
Cold Pasta Salad Recipes
Pasta Salad With Zucchini, Ricotta Salata, and Turmeric
This recipe calls for turmeric, a spice used in various Asian cuisines.
Ingredients
18 oz. mezze penne
3 zucchini
½ onion
5 oz. ricotta salata
2 Tbsp. turmeric
mint leaves
salt
extra-virgin olive oil.
Place the water over heat and when it begins to boil, add the salt and the turmeric, which will give the pasta a slightly golden color and infuse it with flavor. Sauté onions in a pan. Cut the zucchini into not-too-thick slices, and sauté it in a pan for five minutes with the onions. Place the cold pasta in a bowl, add the zucchini, flavor with a sprinkling of ricotta salata and chopped mint leaves.
Pasta Salad With Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Mackerel, and Pink Pepper
Ingredients
1 lb. fusilli
12 oz. sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1½ cups of drained canned mackerel
1 Tbsp. pink peppercorns
1¼ cups almond flakes
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
basil
After cooking the pasta and cooling it down, place it in a bowl. Cut the dried tomatoes into thin slices, add the chopped mackerel, pink pepper, and almonds flakes, and mix the ingredients thoroughly, adding 1 Tbsp. oil. Combine the dressing with the pasta and mix everything together. Garnish with basil leaves.
Cold Spaghetti With Bottarga and Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
1 lb. spaghetti
9 oz. grated bottarga
1¼ cups cherry tomatoes
extra-virgin olive oil
salt
basil
Boil the pasta and allow it to cool. Cut the tomatoes into four and toss them in a bowl with oil, salt, and basil. Add the pasta and stir. Then add the grated bottarga, mix everything together and garnish with fresh basil.