While chilled pasta salad is a mainstay at summer barbecues and picnics, warm pasta salad is the perfect transitional dish for early fall. Because it doesn’t need to be refrigerated before serving, it’s also quick to make. Plus, it can function as a main dish much more easily than its often mayonnaise-laden cousin.
In my mind, a good pasta salad includes a range of colors and textures from a variety of vegetables and herbs. Getting a good selection of produce into a five-ingredient dish, while also allowing for vinaigrette components, is a challenge. The solution, I’ve found, is to raid the antipasti bar of the grocery store. I’ll pick up a pint container and fill it with any manner of vinaigrette-marinated vegetables — artichokes, peppers, olives and beans are all great choices. I make sure to scoop in a good amount of the vinaigrette as well, knowing that it’ll help form the base of the salad dressing.
Since marinated antipasti tends to be soft, I add diced bell pepper, which I sauté until it loses its raw edge but still has a bit of bite. A large handful of fresh parsley, along with the zest and juice of a lemon, adds a pop of color and bright flavor to the dish.
As far as pasta is concerned, I like to use a short, twisted shape, like cavatappi or rotini, or else wide, squat rigatoni, to best cup and catch the various vegetables. Whatever shape you choose, be sure to cook it slightly past al dente; since the acidic dressing firms up the pasta a bit after cooking, slightly overcooking the pasta ensures that it is pleasantly tender.
Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter
Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
About the Author
