Italian-Style Farfalle Pasta Salad
Farfalle, tossed with a bright, lemony dressing and fresh summer ingredients like roasted red peppers, cucumbers, artichokes, and fresh basil, makes a perfect vegetarian summer salad.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 278kcal
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- measuring cups and spoons
- large bowl
Ingredients
Dressing
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- zest of one lemon or more if you like
Pasta
- 5 ounces dried farfalle pasta or 140 grams
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 (15-ounce) can roughly chopped artichoke bottoms or 398 grams
- 1 cup cocktail-size bocconcini (fresh mozzarella balls)
- 1 cup canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup roughly chopped jarred roasted red peppers
- ¾ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
- big handful rougly chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Make Dressing: Add the ingredients to a jar and shake to combine, or add to a small bowl and whisk to emulsify (until creamy).5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 5 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, zest of one lemon
- Cook Pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package directions, but add a few extra minutes to the cooking time. Drain and rinse under cold water, making sure to drain thoroughly, or you'll water down the dressing.5 ounces dried farfalle pasta
- Assemble & Serve: Add the cooled pasta, the vegetables, and the dressing to a large bowl and toss well to combine. Refrigerate the salad for at least 4 hours. It may seem like a lot of dressing, but don't worry, most of it will be absorbed by the pasta as it chills. Serve, and enjoy with grilled chicken or salmon.1 (15-ounce) can roughly chopped artichoke bottoms, 1 cup cocktail-size bocconcini (fresh mozzarella balls), 1 cup canned chickpeas, 1 cup diced cucumber , 1 cup roughly chopped jarred roasted red peppers, ¾ cup diced red onion, ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley, big handful rougly chopped fresh basil
Notes
Tips & Tricks
I intentionally overcook the pasta slightly for this recipe because pasta firms up as it cools.
Cooking it for a few minutes helps keep the texture just right once the salad is chilled.
I also always rinse pasta with cold water when making a cold pasta salad for two reasons. Firstly, it quickly cools down the pasta, so it stops cooking. Secondly, it rinses away excess starch, which can make the pasta sticky and clump together in a cold salad.
Make-Ahead Tip
Pasta absorbs dressing the longer it sits in the refrigerator, chilling.
The salad is at its best and freshest within two days of making it.
If you plan to serve it within two days, reserve a little dressing, and stir it in just before serving to add a bit of life back to the salad.
Nutrition
Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 635mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 362IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 1mg
