pasta salad is in the air

but penne is not invited

I stepped outside the other day and could just smell the beginning of pasta salad season. If you were in New York this last week, I know you smelled it too. And even though we’re plummeting back into 60 degree weather, the pasta salad is here to stay. No take backs. So if you feel compelled to make yourself a little (or enormous) bowl to have on hand for the week then I have the recipes for you.

I stayed away from pasta salads for a while because for one - I always see them made with tri color pasta and penne, and I hate both of those. And second of all, they’re always drenched in that bottled italian dressing that is another one of my personal enemies.

So, last summer was actually my first time ever making pasta salad, and if you’re wondering whether to trust my recipes well, isn’t there a saying or something about it’s not the number of years you have, but what you do with them? I honestly don’t know what I’m talking about so just I’m just gonna drop the recipes below.

As always, I mostly measure with my heart but especially with pasta salad, you could never mess it up. Unless you exclude mozzarella pearls or something crazy like that.

green AF pasta salad

• 1 lb orecchiette pasta

• I bushel of asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 2’’ pieces

• 2 handfuls snap peas, halved vertically + cut in half

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 8 marinated artichoke hearts, halved

• 8 oz mozzarella pearls

• 1 handful green olives, halved

• 1-2 handfuls arugula

1. boil your pasta until al dente in saaaalty water, drain and rinse well with water - we don’t want no sticky pasta salad!!

2. to a saucepan, add a splash of olive oil, garlic and your asparagus. saute lightly - you don’t want to brown it or cook it too much. just until it turns a vibrant green and has a nice crunch. remove from heat and add to your pasta along with the remaining of your ingredients.

3. add your dressing in intervals to avoid oversaucing. toss toss + top with some more lemon zest + black pepper + freshly grated parmesan. GORG!!!

dressing:

• 1 handful basil

• 1 handful parsley

• 1 shallot, sliced

• 1 lemon, zested + juiced

• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan

• 1/2 cup-ish olive oil

1. in a food processor, pulse your herbs until finely chopped. add your shallots + lemon juice and blitz again. as the food processor is running, slowly pour your olive oil in until you have a nice drizzable consistency. add your parm + lemon zest + salt + pepper and pulse a bit more.

the godfather pasta salad:

• 16 oz pasta (I used creste di gallo)

• 1 cup mozzarella pearls

• 2 handfuls arugula

• 1 cup dry soppressata, halved

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 cup roasted red peppers cut into thin slices

• handful of basil

• as much shaved parm as you see fits

1. cook pasta until al dente + rinse.

2. combine everything in a massive bowl and enjoy your single serving pasta salad, hehe.

dressing:

• 1/4 ish cup olive oil, can always add more later

• juice of 1/2 lemon

• salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

• splash of red wine vinegar

• 1 shallot minced

1. mix everything in a cup and pour over your salad in increments to not over sauce!

This has unleashed something inside of me, so don’t worry if these 2 salads aren’t your vibe (however, idk how they could not be) I’ll have PLENTY of more pasta salad recipes coming your way. If you try any of these, tag me + let me know how much you looooved them (don’t text if you have bad things to say, I can’t handle negativity)

as always, I post throughout the week on instagram + tiktok:

instagram: @babytamagooo

tiktok: @babytamago

hope you have a delicious sunday <333