Perfect Pasta Salad

When it comes to light and refreshing dishes that are perfect for summer, a pasta salad is hard to beat. Imagine a bowl brimming with vibrant colours and fresh flavours, the kind that draws your eyes and whets your appetite even before the first bite. Let’s walk through the creation of the perfect pasta salad, featuring multicoloured pasta twirls, crisp broccoli, juicy tomatoes, briny black olives, and succulent diced meat.

Furthermore, dressing is so simple but brings everything together. Indeed I have also used this dressing in other pasta dishes and it has gone down successfully.

Ingredients:

– 250g multicoloured pasta twirls

– 150g broccoli florets

– 200g cherry tomatoes, halved

– 100g black olives, sliced

– 150g diced cooked chicken or ham

– 50g red onion, finely chopped (optional)

– Fresh basil leaves for garnish

– Salt and pepper to taste

For the Dressing:

– 1 clove garlic, minced

– 3 tablespoons olive oil

– 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

– 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

– Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cook the Pasta: Begin by cooking the multicoloured pasta twirls in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package instructions. The vibrant colours will add an appealing visual element to your salad. Once cooked, drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down.

Prepare the Vegetables: While the pasta is cooking, blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for about 2 minutes, then immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water to keep their bright green colour and crisp texture. Halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the black olives.

Mix the Salad: In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled pasta, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and diced meat. If using, add finely chopped red onion for an extra layer of flavour.

Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine and Serve: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to ensure everything is well coated. Garnish with fresh basil leaves for a touch of elegance and a burst of fresh flavour.

This pasta salad is a delightful combination of textures and tastes: the al dente pasta, the crunchy broccoli, the sweet tomatoes, the salty olives, and the savoury meat all come together in perfect harmony. It’s a versatile dish that can be served as a main course or a side, making it a perfect addition to any summer gathering. Enjoy!

Perfect Pasta Salad

Enjoy this delightful pasta salad as a main course or a side dish, perfect for any summer occasion!

4.74 from 50 votes

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Course: Main Dish, Salad

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Dressing, Pasta, Pasta Salad, Vegetables

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 People

Calories: 450kcal

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Ingredients

 

MetricImperial

Salad Ingredients:

• 250 g fusilli multicoloured
• 150 g broccoli florets
• 200 g cherry tomatoes halved
• 100 g black olives sliced
• 150 g cooked ham bacon/chicken diced
• 50 g red onion finely chopped
• 10 g basil leaves garnish
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Dressing Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Get ingredients with

Instructions

Cooking the pasta (10 minutes):

• Boil a large pot of salted water.
• Add the multicoloured pasta twirls and cook according to the package instructions.
  250 g fusilli
• Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.

Prepare the Vegetables (5 minutes):

• Blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for 2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water.
  150 g broccoli florets
• Halve the cherry tomatoes and slice the black olives.
  200 g cherry tomatoes, 100 g black olives

Mix the Salad (5 minutes):

• In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled pasta, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and diced meat.
  150 g cooked ham
• Add finely chopped red onion if desired.
  50 g red onion, salt, pepper

Make the Dressing (3 minutes):

• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic and Dijon mustard.
  3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  salt, pepper

Serve (2 minutes):

• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.
• Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
  10 g basil leaves

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 860mg | Potassium: 518mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 709IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg