Easy Cold Italian Pasta Salad Recipes

There is something appealing about cold Italian pasta salad recipes, for your summer easy pasta salads.

Mayonnaise is fine for potato salads but it overwhelms the delicate texture of pasta.

A good cold pasta salad recipe should be light and refreshing, with a fair amount of vegetables.

The dressing should help convey flavors and keep it moist, not weigh down.

There are three styles of cold Italian pasta salad recipes that taste good. One of my favorite is with raw tomatoes, one with a vinaigrette and some vegetables, and the last with pesto, chicken, or shrimps.

Italian pasta salads are one of those dishes that makes summer's life easier. It can be prepared in advance or at the last minute without ever making a bad impression.

It's perfect for a picnic or a barbecue and you can use any short high quality pasta. Long pasta shapes are okay but do not very recommend on outdoor trips.

These pasta salads are fresh Mediterranean dishes, prepared with simple and light ingredients, which you can prepare in advance and refrigerate for a couple of days. In summer, more than ever, the scent of basil and the flavor of tomatoes reaches its peak, together with fresh mozzarella and tasty tuna flavor.

Italian Pasta Salads

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Spaghetti and Broccoli Pasta Salad Recipe with Black Olives

Ingredients: serves 6

- 1 lb (gr.454) spaghetti, fusilli or farfalle
- 3 lb (kg.1,3) broccoli florets
- ½ teaspoon (gr.2) grated lemon
- ¼ cup (ml.60) lemon juice
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup (ml.118) extra-virgin olive oil
- 20 black olives, brine-cured variety
- 15 large fresh basil leaves, shredded
- ¾ (gr.4) teaspoon salt

Preparation: easy 30 minutes

1. Bring 4 quarts (lt.3,8) of water to a boil. Cut the broccoli florets into bite-size and cook until tender, about 2 minutes; then remove with a spoon and set aside to cool.

2. Set the water for the pasta and bring to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta until is "al dente", then drain.

3. Whisk the grated lemon and juice with the ¾ (gr.4) teaspoon of salt and garlic in a large bowl. Whisk in slowly the extra-virgin olive oil until smooth.

4. With the vinaigrette dressing add the hot pasta, cooled broccoli, black olives pitted and chopped or whole as you like, add basil, toss to mix thoroughly.

Cool all to room temperature and then serve.

How to Make Pasta Salad Recipes Better!

Pasta Shapes You Can Choose From

When you feel the heat of summer you can use pasta to give life to pasta salads, they are delicious and easy to prepare, and you have room for creativity.

Gastronomy full of colors and flavors of sun, at the table as a main dish, or during the working day for lunch. To get the most out of cold pasta you should however keep in mind some rules that are essential for having the best pasta salad. Healthy and fresh ingredients must be used, and the pasta still has to be al dente according to tradition.

Short pasta particularly well suited for being used in pasta salads. Wheels, Fusilli, Penne, Half Penne, Farfalle, and so on. Anyway all formats suited to be mixed in a large bowl with all other summer ingredients.

Cooking Method

Another key element of success is cooking pasta, which should be al dente. To prevent the "bloated" pasta it must be drained quickly and accurately. This is the only case where you may quickly cool the pasta and keep at ideal cooking point.

You can wash pasta with cold running water. In this way you will also removes excess of starch so it wouldn't attach with individual pieces of pasta.

After doing this, while you are waiting to prepare the salad you can put the pasta in the fridge, but just after seasoning with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Recipes with pasta salad are the most creative, because you can follow the imagination and inspiration of the moment without fear of making mistakes. The important thing is to remember to cheer, as well as your palate, the eye, inspired by the triumph of summer colors.

So we welcome the peppers, yellow, red and green, cut in fine cubes, raw or previously sauteed in a pan, pasta together with a little onion.

Yes herbs, from basil to marjoram, onion grass and mint. Worth is including anchovies, tuna, swordfish, shrimp and other delights of fishing.

Among meats, chicken and turkey breast are ideal ingredients, prepare them simply grilled and cutted into thin slices after cooking or let them marinate in lemon and water, or vinegar and water for a few hours before cooking.

Perfect Temperature

The best results? Prepare the salad well in advance (even half a day before) and leave pasta at room temperature for one hour before serving. In this way, the ingredients have time to give flavor and blend together.

If you decide to tie everything with sauces such as mayonnaise, you should add these components just before you bring pasta to the table, because summer heat could not keep their properties intact.

Well these are few tips to keep in mind to make Italian pasta salad the best.

Chicken Pasta Recipes
Fancy new chicken pasta recipes for a comfortable and complete take-away lunch.