Pasta salad
Pasta salad or cold pasta ... however you call it, this is definitely one of the summer favorite dishes for most Italians and, I think, for many people in the world. It solves the problem of lunch or dinner when it's hot but it is a great help for cold dinners, barbecue parties and meals, buffet-style. I have been doing experiments with cold pasta and its ingredients for about 25 years and I've put together many classic or innovative recipes you can adapt to every day menus or your special invitations. All recipes are well tested and largely verified in my kitchen ;))
Pasta salad how-to
Every day I receive a lot of questions on this topic. So I wrote a guideline with some tips: how to choose, cook and drain pasta, prepare the right sauce and preserve it. All this according to the Italian cuisine!
Simple sauce
Making a cold dish of pasta can be very laborious. How to simplify it for your daily family menu? prepare my sauce with tomatoes and grated bell peppers in big quantity. Freeze it in the right portions and enjoy pasta salad every day!
Common mistakes
Making a good pasta dish can be a very easy thing but you can complicate all for nothing. Read carefully my post to simplify everything! For example, ask yourself if the size of your pot and the volume of water are enough ;))
Here are a lot of recipe ideas according to their ingredients!
Ring-shaped ingredients
All ingredients are cut into ring. From peppers to olives to zucchini. The pasta I chose has a ring shape too. Tasty and scenic, perfect for your special get-togethers, birthday dinner menus ... !
Speck and asparagus
This recipe is great for early summer if you want to use fresh asparagus, but asparagus works well frozen too. I tested it many times and every time my guests agree with me: it is fantastic!
Artichokes and surimi crab sticks
This dish has a real advantage: it is very fast to do because you can use ready-made ingredients. When you go back home in the evening, you have only to slice surimi, open a can of artichoke hearts in brine, cook pasta and all is ready. Just the time to let it rest, 30 minutes.
Black truffle and rabbit
This is really great, I would say superb. Select it, if you are planning a very special event ... then let me know your opinion ;))
Borlotti beans
This pasta unlike the previous sounds more rustic. It 's ideal for a barbecue or a garden party. In addition to beans and eggs visible in the photo its ingredients are ripe tomatoes, pickled gherkins and vegetables in oil.
Green beans and trout
This is a real summer single course that combines the carbohydrates of pasta, protein of fish , fat of seasonings and beneficial properties of seasonal vegetables.
Buffalo mozzarella
This is a fantastic dish for your special occasions made with typical Italian ingredients: buffalo mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, Porcini in oil and artichokes in oil. I'm obliged to make double portions for my guests! ;))
Octopus and beans
Another version with octopus but here I added beans too. I created this recipe an evening when I had a special guest, lover of seafood!
Bocconcini and tomatoes
Its ingredients are: wholemeal pasta, chopped tomatoes, basil, chives, olive oil and mozzarella little balls. It tastes fantastic but ... what a pity its calories ... don't make it frequently!
Quail eggs
If you look for a classic Italian recipe, this is for you. Without any surprise. Really enjoy it at all. I prepare it every time I have guests of all ages.
Mediterranean
Its name is Mediterranean for its ingredients: taggiasca olives, fried croutons, confit tomatoes and dried fruit. It's a vegan recipe suitable for all ages. You can choose it for your summer parties without any doubt: everyone will like it!
Shrimps and potatoes
Not only shrimps and potatoes but green beans and porcini mushrooms too. This cold pasta dish is ideal for your special events: astonish your guests!
Caprese style
I think I made this recipe more than fifteen years ago for the first time. It was the first pasta salad my husband and I published on our site and this recipe has been multiplied since then and its photo too ... you can find it on many sites. I do not know whether to be happy or not. I think not, after all. Guess why ... ;) But my pasta is good, the real classic versions of Italian pasta salad.
Ravioli salad
Homemade ravioli stuffed with tuna and olives and topped with fresh tomatoes. You'll lick your lips! Lots of work but a lot of satisfaction too!Special dish for a special menu!
Ravioli, trout and melon
Have you ever tried to make ravioli salad? My husband and I really like it. This is our first version. Have you ever tried to combine fruit with pasta? Test it ... I'm waiting for your opinion ...
Zucchini and nasturtium
The image is sunny ... reminds summer. Its taste? fantastic. We have nasturtium flowers in our organic garden. They are fashionable, a lot of cooks use them to decorate their dishes. They're edible too and remind capers, great!
Salmon and artichokes in oil
Another good combination for you: salmon with artichokes in oil ... hmm ... gnam, gnam ... Do you guess? I like it very much! Easy-to-do and tasty summer recipe!
Mediterranean, spicy
I used chili pasta and tomatoes for this recipe: tasty and easy to do provided you like hot chili pepper!
Tomatoes and chickpeas
This is a proposal for your daily menus. Pulses should be eaten with pasta. The combination is perfect and healthy. Good, very good for those who love chickpeas.
Raw tomatoes
If you have ripe and firm tomatoes, this recipe will be very good. It's the easiest way to prepare a summer main dish, Italian-style. You can easily eat it all days ... look at its calories ;)
Zucchini, shrimps and eggs
In Italy we call mimosa every recipe in which yolk eggs are crumbled. This pasta dish is tasty both hot and cold. So you can find its recipe in our directory dedicated to dry pasta.