‘Never Pasta it’s Prime Salad’
This easy cold pasta salad recipe is one of my favorite dishes because of its simplicity. I first tried it at my best friend’s house during a bbq with hamburgers and hotdogs. After the first taste I knew it would become a staple in my household. Its refreshing, light and packed with yum!
At the time of writing this post I’m in Florence, Italy and have been craving these caprese flavors for some time so I decided to run down to the local market and gather a few fresh ingredients to make it. The tomatoes I used are in season, straight from the vine and are absolutely to die for. The cheese is a 2 year old parmesan and what a treat it is and the basil comes from Jonathan’s basil plant he has been growing outside. When it comes to authentic flavors I think I got this one just right!
The perfect meal for when you’re short on time
This is my go to recipe for when I realize I’ve got an event in T-minus 2 hours that I completely forgot about and can’t show up empty handed to. This salad can be whipped up in a pinch since there are only a few ingredients. Added bonus: it’s definitely a crowd pleaser.
How to make this cold pasta salad
First things first you’ll want to put a pot on the stove to cook the pasta. I personally prefer using bowtie pasta; it adds a pretty flair plus it absorbs the flavors perfectly, but you can technically use any pasta you have on hand. I add salt to the water as well as some EVOO so the water doesn’t boil over during the cooking process. Once the water boils put in the pasta and cook until it’s al dente, about 10-11 minutes.
While the pasta cooks you can prep all of your ingredients:
- Chop the tomato: I like to de-seed my tomatoes and then just rough chop to go into the salad
- Mince garlic: I finely mince the garlic to avoid the unpleasant surprise of a big piece of garlic disguising itself as pasta while I eat
- Cut Basil: I like to ribbon mine because the bright green color of the basil contrasts with the other ingredients and shines through beautifully as ribbons
- Cheeses: you can either buy shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese or if you want a creamier taste you can use fresh mozzarella cheese or buffalo mozzarella. I used fresh mozzarella for this recipe and cut it into cubes. I also added hard parmesan that we bought at the local market in Florence, what a treat!
The finishing touches
In a mixing bowl stir the EVOO, balsamic and fresh garlic. I use a 2:1 ratio of olive oil to balsamic for this cold pasta salad recipe. Add in your pasta and mix it in thoroughly. It’s very important to keep mixing constantly and not let the pasta simply sit in the EVOO and balsamic. You don’t want to risk having the bottom portion of the pasta soak in all the balsamic and become overly acidic. Once the pasta is evenly coated with the olive oil and balsamic you can add in the rest of your ingredients with salt and pepper to taste.
Why the quality of Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar matters
Two of the most important elements in this dish are the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I’ve made this dish with cheap low grade olive oil and balsamic and it’s simply not the same compared to using good quality products. Now I don’t even think twice when I buy my olive oil and balsamic, I always get the top shelf stuff because trust me it’s worth it.
Extra virgin vs regular olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil gets it’s name because it’s the oil that comes from pure cold pressed olives. On the other hand regular olive oil is a blend of cold pressed olive oil and processed oils. That is why extra virgin olive oil is more expensive because it’s in its purest form.
The difference in flavor between good quality extra virgin olive oil and lower grade olive oil is very noticeable when making this cold pasta salad recipe. Sometimes when I use cheaper stuff I tend to get heartburn and indigestion, not sure if any of you can relate on this one. This never happens when I use quality olive oil.
Cold pasta salad storage
I always let the salad rest in the fridge for about an hour. It gives it that time to absorb all those delicious juices. If you are hungry this salad can be eaten warm as soon as it has been prepared. But honestly its best served cold. When this salad is stored in an airtight container in the fridge it will be good for a week or so. Remember to add a little balsamic and EVOO as the days pass since it may dry out in the refrigerator.
Is there a vegan option for this cold pasta salad recipe?
Simply put, absolutely. There are two options, either eliminate the cheese from the dish or replace the cheese with a vegan cheese. There are loads of vegan cheese options out there but for this dish I would recommend a hard vegan parmesan or vegan mozzarella. I’ve tried these brands myself and they are a good replacement for this particular salad. However, vegan cheeses may be a little tricky to come by. If you are in the states you can find them at Whole Foods or order them on Amazon.
Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 box Bowtie pasta
- 16 tbsp Olive oil
- 8 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 bag Basil (chopped)
- 1 tsp Garlic (minced)
- 2 Tomatoes (diced)
- 1 ball Fresh mozzarella (or 1 cup shredded)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil and cook bowties for approximately 10 minutes then drain.
- In a bowl mix the olive oil, balsamic and garlic. Once mixed throw in the cooked pasta and fold it. You should stir it quickly and not let it sit or the balsamic vinegar will soak more into some pieces of pasta versus others.
- Next you can stir in the diced tomato, basil, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate for 1 hour.
