Pasta Salad Recipe with Basil Vinaigrette (2024)

FAQs

What are the five mistakes to avoid pasta salad? ›

The acid in the vinegar and the residual heat from the cooking pasta make the noodles more absorbent so they'll really soak up the flavor from your dressing, whether you use a mayonnaise-based one or a vinaigrette.

Cook the pasta al dente: Al dente pasta is firmer and less likely to become mushy or soggy when mixed with other ingredients. Rinse the pasta with cold water after cooking: This helps to remove excess starch and cool the pasta, which can help to prevent it from becoming soggy.

The starch in the water is what helps the sauce adhere to your pasta. The only time you should ever rinse your pasta is when you are going to use it in a cold dish like a pasta salad or when you are not going to use it immediately. In those cases, rinsing the pasta helps to stop the cooking process.

If you're making a dish that will be served chilled or at room temp—think cold soba, rice noodles, pasta salad—you do want to rinse so that you get toothsome (sorry) individual strands rather than one big gummy clump. Certain types of noodles benefit from a rinse in almost all applications.

Red Wine Vinegar

There's a reason it's used to dress Italian pasta salad and a key ingredient in stacked-high Italian subs. It's flavor cuts through some of the richness of cured meats and cheeses and gives dishes the perfect zing.

Pasta Salad Dressing

Dried herbs, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, a touch of sugar, pinch of red pepper and the secret ingredient – parmesan cheese.

Italian dressing is a must for making the cold pasta salads that accompany picnics and potlucks. The best dressing for these recipes, according to our Test Kitchen, is Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing. Opening up a bottle, you'll find it's a classic grocery store-style Italian dressing.

Vinegar and other acidic ingredients do strange things to the flavor of pasta when used in salad-level amounts. Ever notice an irritating acerbic aftertaste just about every time you've eaten pasta salad? That's the vinegar announcing itself, and it's not pleasant.

What is the best olive oil for pasta salad? ›

If you prefer an oil-based pasta salad over a mayo-based pasta salad, using quality, flavorful oil is key. You can't go wrong with California Olive Ranch's extra virgin olive oil.

Furthermore, there can be side effects of taking too much vinegar at once in concentrated form, including stomach upset and irritation of the esophagus. Its high acid content can erode tooth enamel.

If you have added too much vinegar to a recipe, you can try adding a bit of sugar or honey to help balance the acidity. You could also try diluting the vinegar by adding more of the other ingredients in the recipe.

- Add some sugar or honey to the dish. Sugar and honey can counteract the sourness of vinegar and add some sweetness to the dish. You can start with a small amount and adjust according to your taste.

But today, I am going to teach you how to make a salad without using a recipe so you, too, can become a salad artist. Sound like a deal? There are five elements to a perfect salad: greens, sweetness, creaminess, crunchiness, and dressing.