Refreshing Italian Pasta Salad

In summer, when the heat overwhelms us, there's no question of overheating the oven for hours!

And when we want to eat outside, we need easy recipes that can be eaten cold while being tasty and comforting.

Here is a great suggestion!

This salad will quickly become one of your top favorite summer recipes because it contains an abundance of delicious foods. Each ingredient complements each other exceptionally well!

It's a wonderful mix of textures, a trio of crunchy, soft, and tender.

It's a very hearty and satisfying side dish that pairs well with grilled chicken, beef, or fish. But it can also make a complete meal!

This recipe is meant for several people. For fewer guests, simply divide the ingredients. The recipe will divide well in half for a family dinner.

Or make the full recipe anyway and serve the leftovers the next day for lunch!

Ingredients:

16 ounces (454 g) of dry rotini

10 ounces (284 g) of hard salami, sliced 1/4 inch thick, then chopped

3 cups (750 g) of grape tomatoes, halved

1 can of 6 ounces (170 g) of black olives, sliced

2 cups (500 g) of chopped bell peppers (colors of your choice)

1/2 cup (135 g) of chopped red onion

8 ounces (225 g) of fresh mozzarella pearls

3 ounces (170 g) freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 cup (125 g) of chopped fresh parsley

1/3 cup (85 g) of chopped fresh basil***

For the dressing:

1 cup (250 ml) of olive oil

1/4 cup (65 ml) of fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon (5 g) of dried oregano

2 teaspoons (10 ml) of Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon (5 ml) of honey

2 teaspoons (10 g) of minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) of red pepper flakes, or to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

2. Immediately transfer the pasta to a rimmed baking sheet (18 x 13 inches) and spread to cool for 15 minutes.

3. While the pasta is cooking and cooling, chop the ingredients and prepare the dressing.

4. For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, mustard, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes, and season lightly with salt and then pepper to taste.

5. Add the cooled pasta to a very large bowl with salami, tomatoes, olives, bell peppers, red onion, mozzarella pearls, Parmesan, parsley, and basil.

6. Whisk the dressing again and pour it over the ingredients in a bowl with 1/4 cup (65 ml) of pasta water.

7. Mix well to coat evenly. Dilute with more pasta water as needed and season with more salt if necessary.

This salad can be served immediately or, for colder and more refreshing pasta, refrigerated for 1 to 2 hours (or up to 3 days).

Here are some good substitution ideas if you don't have all the ingredients listed above or to vary.

Pasta: Other medium-sized pasta, such as fusillis, gemellis, penne, cavatappi, or farfalle.

Cheeses: Romano cheese works well to replace Parmesan.

Block mozzarella can be replaced by fresh mozzarella, just cut into small cubes.

Meat: Pepperoni can replace salami, but in a lesser quantity.

Vegetables: Half of the bell peppers can be replaced with cucumbers.

You can use Kalamata olives instead of black olives (use half the amount as they are quite tangy).

To replace fresh basil, you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried basil.

Dressing: Extra virgin olive oil or refined standard olive oil can be used here depending on the amount of flavor you want to bring out (extra virgin olive oil has a stronger flavor).

3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar can be used instead of lemon juice.

If you're in a hurry, you can use 1 cup of your favorite store-bought Italian dressing. Just reduce the added herbs a little.

Useful tips:

Do not overcook the pasta to prevent them from becoming soggy once they've absorbed some dressing.

Cut the ingredients small for uniformity so you can get a bit of each flavor in every bite.

Let the pasta salad marinate a bit so the vegetables and pasta absorb more flavor.

For a cold and refreshing salad during the hot summer months, plan for 1 to 2 hours in the fridge before serving.

The salad keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.