This refreshing Ensalada de Pasta Fría (Cold Pasta Salad) is a rotini pasta salad, that’s bursting with fresh vegetables, feta cheese and topped with a zesty dressing. It is the perfect companion for grilled meats and seafood. Perfect for picnics, barbecues, or a light meal on a hot day, it’s a dish that brings color and flavor to any table.
As temperatures rise and summer settles in, there’s nothing quite as refreshing to pair with grilled meats and seafood, like pollo a la plancha (Cuban grilled chicken) and camarones a la plancha (grilled shrimps), as a satisfying cold pasta salad. Our Cold Pasta Salad, featuring rotini pasta, is the perfect dish to bring a burst of flavor and vibrant colors to your table. This versatile salad combines fresh vegetables, zesty dressing, feta cheese, pepperoni and pasta, making it an ideal choice for picnics, barbecues, or a light yet fulfilling meal on a hot day.
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Reasons to Love this Recipe
- Refreshing and Light: Perfect for hot summer days, this salad is cool and refreshing.
- Versatile: It pairs wonderfully with a variety of grilled meats and seafood, or oven dishes like lomo relleno (stuffed pork loin) and pollo rostizado (rotisserie chicken) making it an ideal side dish for barbecues, picnics, or family gatherings.
- Flavorful: The combination of fresh vegetables and zesty dressing brings a burst of flavors that tantalize your taste buds.
- Vibrant and Colorful: Its vibrant colors are visually appealing, perfect for gatherings.
- Easy to Make: Simple to prepare with ingredients that are readily available.
- Customizable: You can easily adapt this recipe to suit your preferences by adding your favorite vegetables, proteins, or even different types of pasta.
- Make Ahead Side Dish: This salad can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge, for a quick, ready-to-eat side dish and an ideal dish to make ahead for entertaining.
Ingredients
- Rotini Pasta: You can use different pasta shapes for this recipe, but rotini is my favorite. The swirls hold the tangy dressing perfectly.
- Feta Cheese – You can buy a solid block of feta or already crumbled.
- Pepperoni Slices – I like to quarter my pepperoni slices but you can also leave them whole.
- Kalamata Olives – Adds a nice briny flavor to this salad.
- Tomatoes – I prefer to use baby or grape tomatoes for this salad.
- Balsamic Vinegar – Balsamic vinegar adds a delicious tangy flavor that I just love in this salad.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pasta – Substitute rotini with other pasta shapes like penne, fusilli, or farfalle for a different texture.
- Vegetables – Add bell peppers, cucumbers, steamed broccoli, snap peas, or zucchini or shredded carrots for a different flavor profile.
- Dressing – Swap the balsamic dressing with Italian dressing.
- Cheese – Substitute feta cheese with mozzarella balls, parmesan, or goat cheese for a different flavor.
- Protein – Add grilled chicken, shrimp, chickpeas or black beans for a protein boost.
Instructions
Step 1: Cook the pasta according to the box instructions in salted water for more flavor. Drain the water and run the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Step 2: Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Add the pasta, tomatoes, spinach, cheese, olives and pepperoni to a mixing bowl, top with the dressing and stir all the ingredients well. Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld together before serving.
Expert Tips
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Ensure your pasta is cooked al dente. Overcooked pasta will become mushy when mixed with the dressing and vegetables. Rinse the pasta with cold water immediately after cooking to stop the cooking process and cool it down quickly.
- Season Your Pasta: Season your pasta water generously with salt. This infuses the pasta with flavor from the beginning, which enhances the overall taste of the salad.
- Dressing: Make sure your dressing is well-balanced in terms of acidity, sweetness, and seasoning. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary before mixing it with the pasta.
- Chill Before Serving: Allow the salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This helps the flavors meld together and makes the salad more refreshing.
- Double Batch Dressing: Consider making a double batch of dressing. It’s always handy to have extra on hand in case you need to freshen up the salad before serving or use it for other dishes.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, Ensalada de Pasta Fria can be made ahead of time. In fact, allowing it to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving helps the flavors meld together.
This pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Absolutely! While rotini is my favorite because it holds the dressing well, you can use other pasta shapes like penne, fusilli, or farfalle. Just make sure to cook the pasta al dente to prevent it from becoming too soft.
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📖 Recipe
Ensalada de Pasta Fría
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini pasta
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes rinsed and cut in half
- ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup pepperoni slices cut in half
- 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1 cup spinach rinsed
- ¾ cup kalamata olives sliced
Salad Dressing
- 1 cup olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic puree or one garlic clove finely minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the box instructions in salted water for more flavor. Drain the water and run the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Add the pasta, tomatoes, spinach, cheese, olives, and pepperoni to a mixing bowl, top with the dressing, and stir all the ingredients together well. Refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld together before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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