Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Say hello to the ultimate Summer Pasta Salad packed with Mediterranean flavors. Our Pasta Salad features fresh seasonal ingredients, black olives, seeds, sun-dried tomatoes, and tasty salad dressing.

Pasta Salad has saved so many improvised days out for our family, and I'm sure it has for yours, too! We normally have pasta and a few fresh ingredients in the fridge to prepare a quick salad for a last-minute organized beach day, picnic, grilling event, or a family meal where vegetarian options will be non-existent.

Spring and summer are definitely the months where I enjoy this type of meal the most, so I'm sharing a recipe we've been making lately with seasonal produce, some from the garden, some from the shop, and a very simple salad dressing.

Ingredients

Pasta. We like using fusilli for pasta salad, but I won't lie, we've made this recipe with many different types of pasta; sometimes, just using what's available works, and pasta salad is one of those times! You can use whole wheat pasta for a more nutritious option or gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free version. If you want to use pulses, you can have a look at our Mediterranean lentil salad.

Fresh vegetables. For our Mediterranean pasta salad, we use cucumber, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and radishes. We grow most of this produce ourselves, so we basically take what's growing in the garden. We love adding asparagus to add those spring vibes to the dish. Also, if you have growing cucumbers like us, or you get some next time you visit your local market, you can try making this delicious Cucumber gazpacho.

If, just like us, you have a big cherry tomato plant giving you too many cherry tomatoes, try this delicious summer cherry tomato tart.

Green leaves. Rocket and basil are always a great combination for salads. You can also add spinach or lettuce.

Sun-dried tomatoes. They add a lovely umami touch to the salad.

Black olives. We always use Kalamata olives for black olives, but you can use your favorite olives for the salad.

Corn. Totally optional, but we like adding corn for sweetness.

Seeds. Toasted seeds make for a great addition. Nuts are also a fantastic add-on.

How to Prepare Our Pasta Salad

While you prepare the rest of the ingredients, you can cook the pasta. Boil the pasta following the package instructions, drain, and leave aside.

For our pasta salad, we prepare the ingredients that need cooking first, which are the asparagus and seeds. First, cut the asparagus into 1-inch long pieces and cook on a skillet with a little bit of oil until they start to brown.

Then, toast the seeds. Add them (without oil) to a small frying pan and stir occasionally so they don't burn, and toast evenly. It shouldn't take more than 3-4 minutes, depending on the temperature at which you set the cooker. At this point, you can add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and stir one last time with the heat off already. This adds a delicious flavor to your seeds.

Chop the tomatoes, slice the radish, wash the green leaves, slice the cucumber, and cut the sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces. Place all the fresh ingredients in a large mixing bowl: tomatoes, radishes, green leaves, and cucumber. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and corn. At this point, also add the pasta, asparagus, and seeds. Prepare the dressing by combining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and a pinch of salt. Pour the dressing over the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

You can garnish the pasta salad with sesame seeds, some lemon zest, or even edible flowers! You can leave the pasta salad to chill in the fridge for some time before serving it or serve it immediately.

FAQ

Serving Suggestions

Our Mediterranean Pasta Salad is one of our favorite dishes to prepare for a day out at the beach, bring to a grilling event, potluck-style party, etc. You can prepare it ahead, and it's served at room temperature or chilled, making it the perfect option to bring out.

We like serving it with some crusty bread to scoop out those last bits of dressing, and if you want to serve it as a side dish, prepare some protein to go on the side, such as a tofu schnitzel. If you're looking for an appetizer to serve with this vibrant salad, check out this light Zucchini Soup.

If we have fresh pesto at home, we normally add a few dollops to our plates; it just gives the dish a fantastic touch.

Do you like your pasta salad with a spicy kick? We recommend adding some chili oil or chili flakes.

More Salads You May Want To Try

• Soba Noodle Salad
• Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad
• Beetroot Salad With Vegan Feta