A Simple Go-to Summer Pasta Salad
It’s my firm belief that everyone needs a simple, easy go-to pasta salad recipe, one that’s full of fresh ingredients. One that will complement almost any summer meal, from brats to grilled chicken to burgers. This is my recipe for said pasta salad. It works with almost any combination of summer vegetables, and the pantry ingredients are of the simplest kind. It makes a large quantity, so I often make a big bowl of it and we eat it as a side dish with dinner for a couple of days, while it also becomes the basis of lunches – add a little grilled chicken or some tuna, and you have a balanced meal unto itself. It’s a crowd pleaser, so it makes a perfect take-along for summer picnics, barbecues, and camping trips.
This recipe is versatile as well – although I usually use broccoli and some kind of summer squash, you can use other summer vegetables like pea pods, corn cut from the cob, or even green beans cut into 1-inch pieces. The key is to use a variety of colorful vegetables, which makes for a beautiful, appetizing, nutritious salad.
To make it gluten-free, simply use GF pasta. To make it dairy-free, leave out the mozzarella and use soy-based mayo.
Go-to Summer Pasta Salad
1 pound pasta, any shape that’s not a long, thin noodle (farfalle, penne, rotini, macaroni, shells, etc.)
1 head broccoli
1 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash
1 sweet bell pepper (any color but green)
1 medium onion (red is prettiest)
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1 small can sliced black olives
1 log fresh mozzarella (about 4 ounces)
1/2-3/4 cup good quality mayonnaise (I like Trader Joe’s homestyle)
1/2-3/4 cup prepared Italian salad dressing (I like Ken’s or Newman’s Own)
Put a large pot of salted water over high heat to come to a boil.
Wash the broccoli and cut it into small florets.
Wash the squash and cut it into small dice.
Wash and chop the bell pepper.
Peel and chop the onion.
Wash and halve the tomatoes.
Slice the mozzarella log, then cut the slices into small dice.
Drain the olives.
When the water is boiling, put the pasta in to cook. When there are 3 minutes of cooking time left, add the broccoli and squash to the pasta pot. The vegetables will blanch as the pasta finishes cooking.
Drain the pasta and vegetables, and rinse immediately with ice cold water to stop the cooking process. You want the vegetables crisp-tender, not limp.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo and Italian dressing. Start with 1/2 cup of each, and then mix more if needed after you taste the salad, or after it sits for a bit – sometimes the pasta absorbs more than you expect.
Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve immediately, or cover and chill until ready to serve.
Makes 12 servings.
Here’s the printable recipe. Enjoy!
