Enjoy a Non-Traditional Twist on an Italian Classic With This Delicious Pasta House Salad Recipe
The traditional Italian pasta salad is a classic favorite, but why not bring something new to the table? This unique pasta house salad recipe combines the familiar flavors of Italian food with some unexpected surprises. This dish is sure to mesmerize your taste buds and surprise your family and friends.
The crunchy vegetables and crumbled feta cheese give this dish a distinct and refreshing flavor, while the pesto vinaigrette marries the flavors together with a bright and tangy twist. The use of farfalle (or “butterfly”) noodles adds visual appeal to the salad, and it pairs beautifully with the vegetables, feta cheese, and basil pesto.
Ingredients:
- 1 bag of farfalle (or butterfly) noodles
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup of feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup of fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of basil pesto
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the farfalle noodles to the boiling water, and cook until al dente.
- Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water to cool them down.
- In a large bowl, mix together the diced bell pepper, chopped red onion, crumbled feta cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced basil leaves.
- Add the drained farfalle noodles and mix until everything is evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, basil pesto, salt, and pepper for a delicious pesto vinaigrette.
- Drizzle the pesto vinaigrette over the pasta salad and mix until everything is evenly coated.
- Refrigerate for two hours before serving.
The combination of pesto and feta cheese brings together Mediterranean flavors that you won’t find in any traditional Italian dish. The flavorful pesto vinaigrette gives the salad a slightly sweet and tangy taste that really brings out the best in the vegetables and noodles. Serve this dish as a starter or main course and you won’t be disappointed.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can make a few small adjustments to the ingredients to customize this recipe to your liking. Instead of cherry tomatoes, you could use diced cucumber or sliced olives. Switch out the white wine vinegar for red wine vinegar, or try adding some capers or chopped olives to the vinaigrette for an extra kick. Experiment and find out what flavors work best with this dish.
This pasta house salad recipe is sure to become a family favorite! Enjoy this unique Italian-Mediterranean fusion with a twist of your own. Buon appetito!