According to Jaime Oliver this is “the best pasta salad.” I beg to differ. It was good, but definitely not the best. However, I LOVE all the fresh veggies and herbs that go into it. It is a very colorful, fresh and healthy pasta salad.
Ingredients:
11 oz. small shaped pasta
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
9 oz. red cherry tomatoes
9 oz. yellow cherry tomatoes
1 handful of fresh basil
1/2 cucumber
4 T white wine vinegar
7 T Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the pasta per the directions on the box. Drain, rinse with cool water and place in a large bowl.
Chop tomatoes, cucumber, chives and basil into pieces smaller than the pasta and add them to the bowl with the pasta.
In a small bowl, mix the garlic, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Pour this over the pasta and toss.
Next time: I didn’t prepare the garlic like Jaime’s original recipe. I will definitely do that next time. I also didn’t put olives in mine like his recipe calls for. I might add those as well. Also, I served this as a side dish, but next time I might add some shredded chicken to it and make it a main dish. I might need to make a little more dressing, but I think it would be good that way.
What does the family think? Everyone was just sort of so-so on this dish. I am going to give it another go though and prepare it the way Jaime actually says to make it instead of doing it with all of my little shortcuts.
Hi Nina! Didn’t know you had this and MommaReads. Love the websites. I ADORE pasta salads — unfortunately Chad does not, so I don’t make them often. But I have a Greek pasta salad I adore, so from that, here are some ideas on changes you can make to this one — use red wine vinegar instead of white, add feta cheese to the salad (LOVE this addition), add some other veggies like red bell pepper, artichoke hearts (although those can be pricey). And I do recommend adding olives. Maybe add some dried oregano to the dressing? HTH.
Yum!!!! I love artichoke hearts…that’s what my mom always put in her pasta salad.