THE SUMMER PICNIC SALAD YOU NEED. My friends, I present to you, L❤️VE in a bowl. And I’m not just being sappy. That’s actually the name of this salad – or well, the name of the salad that this is inspired by. It’s called Pasta Amore. And baby, it’s true love. This Italian-inspired pasta salad it unlike any Mediterranean pasta salad you’ve ever had before. Because unlike all those other salads, this one actually has all the flavors of Italy and the rest of the Mediterranean wrapped together in every bite. We’re talking about sun-dried tomatoes, mingling with fresh basil pesto, other veggies, buttery pine nuts, and briny olives. We’ll finish it off with lots of parmesan cheese. One bite and you’ll know why they call this what they call this. Unlike your typical Mediterranean salad, you know what I’m talking about – the red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, red onions, and cucumbers all tossed with fusilli or farfalle, this is a refreshing take off the worn-out path of Greek salads masked as Mediterranean Pasta Salads. Yes, I said it. Can you feel the passion? We’re adding richness with our veggie choices! Skip the grape tomatoes and do sun-dried tomatoes, forget the feta cheese entirely, and use marinated artichoke hearts instead of cucumbers, how can you be mad at that? And the best part? It’s NOT another mayonnaise-based salad. So it’s healthier too! And on top of that, it feeds a crowd! There’s just so much goodness going into this recipe that it’ll easily feed 12-14 people as a small side. If you’re planning on taking this to a book club or a summer barbecue, make extra because they are going to rave about it and then ask you for the recipe. I serve this cold pasta salad as a side dish with grilled chicken, but you could just add cooked diced chicken into the Mediterranean pasta salad as well to make it even more hearty and filling!
Mediterranean Pasta Salad (28 sec.):
Ingredients for Mediterranean Pasta Salad:
Pasta: You can use any shape of pasta that you like for this recipe. Use macaroni, fusilli pasta, cavatappi, or penne.You can use any shape of pasta that you like for this recipe. I’m using penne pasta and I boil them in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Then drain and rinse the pasta under cold water.Marinated Artichoke Hearts: These add a delicious tart flavor. They also bulk up the salad. If you can’t find these in a store near you, you can also purchase them online.Sun-dried tomatoes: We’ll make full use of this ingredient! Make sure to save some of the oil that the sun-dried tomatoes come packed in, they add a delicious flavor to the basil pesto dressing.Kalamata Olives + Capers: These briny ingredients help cut the richness of the pine nuts and make this such a refreshing summer salad.Scallions and parsley: These ingredients add freshness. Feel free to use other fresh herbs if you prefer.Arugula: I love the pepperiness arugula adds to summer salads. Feel free to use kale in its place if you prefer.Parmesan Cheese: Grated parmesan cheese adds the most delicious flavor to this salad.Pine nuts: Add nuttiness and richness to the salad, freely free to replace with cashews for a more economical option.Fresh Basil Pesto: I love using my homemade basil pesto for this recipe. It gives the dressing the most unique flavor! Just shake it all up in a jar.Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Goes into the basil pesto with lemon juice to thin it out.Fresh Lemon Juice: This is the acid for the basil pesto dressing. You can also use red wine vinegar; makes the best vinaigrette!Salt and pepper: kosher salt and pepper will go into the dressing for the salad.
How to Make the Best Pasta Salad Recipe:
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Amazing Macaroni SaladLemon Basil Arugula Pasta SaladZesty Italian Pasta SaladGreek Orzo Pasta SaladMediterranean Tuna Orzo Summer Salad
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ADD PROTEIN: Feel free to toss in cooked chicken to make this salad even heartier.TRANSPORTING: If you’re transporting this salad, to simplify things, you can place the arugula, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts on top of the prepared salad and toss when you get there with the dressing.
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