Pasta Fredda - Italian cold pasta salad
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Fridge time:
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
485 kcal
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Course
Side Dish, Main Course, Salad
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Cuisine
Italian
Pasta Fredda - Italian cold pasta salad
Description
Pasta Fredda begins by cooking fusilli pasta until just al dente, then rinsing under cold water to halt cooking and cool it. The dressing combines olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, crushed garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper, whisked until blended. The salad includes halved cherry tomatoes, diced roasted peppers, roughly chopped basil, pitted olives, and torn mozzarella pieces.
When combined, the cool pasta and fresh vegetables are coated evenly with the slightly sweet and tangy dressing, highlighting the herbal notes from oregano and basil. The salad offers a variety of textures: the firmness of al dente pasta, the softness of mozzarella, the juicy burst of tomatoes, and the mild tartness of olives. This salad is suitable as a light meal or a side dish for warmer weather.
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 450 grams pasta fusilli, farfarelle or any other type of pasta that will hold its shape well, dry
- salt to taste
For the dressing
- 80 millilitre olive oil 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 30 millilitre
- 2 teaspoons honey 10 millilitre
- 1 teaspoon garlic 5 millilitre, or one garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tablespoon oregano 15 millilitre, dried
- ½ teaspoon salt 2.5 millilitre
- black pepper about ½ teaspoon, few good grinds
- 120 millilitre olive equates to roughly 20 olives, or 80g of olives, pitted
For the salad
- 500 millilitre cherry tomato or roughly 400g
- 150 grams pepper roasted jarred
- 120ml basil 8 tablespoons, roughly chopped
- 125 grams mozzarella cheese or 125g mozzarella torn into smaller pieces, bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls
Instructions
- Add the pasta to a large pan with plenty of water. Add salt to taste (we add 2 teaspoons). Follow the package instructions and cook the pasta until just al dente. "Al dente" means pasta that is cooked so it's still firm when bitten, but not raw or hard.
- While you wait for the paste to cook, add all the ingredients for the salad dressing into a jug or bowl. Lightly whisk together. Set aside. You can cut the olives in half before adding them to the sauce if you'd like smaller pieces.
- Half the cherry tomatoes, dice the peppers into smaller pieces and roughly chop the basil.
- Once the pasta is cooked al dente, drain in a colander and rinse well with cold water.
- Add the cooled pasta to a large salad bowl. Taste for salt and add more if needed. You may have lost some saltiness during rinsing.
- Add the salad dressing and stir through.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes, the diced peppers, chopped basil and mozzarella. Toss together. Taste for seasoning.
- Place the pasta fredda in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour before serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 485 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 485kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 63g | 21% |
| Protein | 15g | 30% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 8mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 744mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 367mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 868IU | 17% |
| Vitamin C | 25mg | 28% |
| Calcium | 143mg | 14% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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