I want you to take a tasty adventure with an easy dish that will elevate your overall taste – try the pasta house salad recipe.
In this blog post, we will discuss the complete process of preparation of pasta house salad. Later, we will also look at variations, pro tips to level up the taste, storage and freezing tips and much more.
Pasta House Salad
The pasta house salad is a kind of salad served at Pasta House Chin Co., an Italian-American restaurant chain. It generally contains red onions, tomatoes, lettuce, croutons and black olives. You can choose the dressing like a vinaigrette or Italian. It may also contain grated parmesan cheese or other toppings.
In pasta house salad you can also include spicy pepperoncini peppers. People love this variation of salad because of its great taste and crunchiness.
Pasta House Salad Recipe Tips
- Choose the right pasta: Make sure to choose pasta like penne, rotini, fusilli etc. You can also go for gluten-free pasta or whole wheat for special dietary needs.
- Cook Pasta Al Dente: Make sure to cook the pasta until it is firm. It prevents it from being too soft when mixed with other ingredients. After cooking, rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it fast.
- Variety of greens: You can use a variety of green veggies for different flavours and textures. Arugula, Spinach or Romaine lettuce can be a great option. Make sure to wash them before adding them.
- Fresh Ingredients: Choose different fresh ingredients like red onions, cucumbers, black olives, cherry tomatoes and bell peppers for a great contrast and texture.
- Cheese selection: You can also use grated parmesan cheese. You can try different cheeses like shredded mozzarella, crumbled feta, or diced provolone.
Variations
- Mediterranean pasta salad: Mix diced cucumbers, red onions, cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, kalamata olives and chopped fresh herbs such as oregano and parsley. You can also use a Greek-style dressing with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and dried oregano.
- Caprese pasta salad: Mix halved cherry tomatoes, chopped basil leaves, small mozzarella balls, and balsamic glaze with cooked pasta. Then, pour over a mixture of balsamic vinegar, salt, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Asian-Inspired pasta salad: You can mix shredded carrots, edamame beans, shredded cabbage, sliced bell peppers, and sliced green onions with the cooked pasta. Mix it with the sauce prepared from soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, honey, sesame oil and garlic.
- Southwestern pasta salad: You can add diced bell peppers, corn, black beans, diced avocado, Monterey jack cheese and fresh cilantro to the cooked pasta. Also, include the dressing prepared from olive oil, cumin, lime juice, garlic and chilli powder.
- Italian Antipasto pasta salad: You can combine the boiled pasta with pepperoni, marinated artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, diced provolone cheese, sliced black olives and cherry tomatoes.
What to Serve
- Garlic bread: You can serve garlic bread with the pasta house salad. It provides a delicious crunch and goes well with the salad.
- Grilled chicken: You can also serve grilled chicken with pasta house salad. The addition of grilled chicken pieces with spices and fresh herbs provides a great source of protein to the meal.
- Italian sausage: You can serve sliced or roasted Italian sausages with the salad. It makes the salad more satisfying and delightful.
- Bruschetta: Crunchy bread with garlic, basil, chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and olive oil on top can be a tasty side dish.
- Frittata: You can also serve cheese frittata with the pasta house salad. It provides a lot of protein and works well with the light pasta salad.
Storing and freezing
Storing
- Make sure to store the leftover pasta in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
- You can store the pasta for up to 2-3 days, but it also depends upon the quality or freshness of the ingredients used.
- Before serving the leftovers, toss the dressing and flavours evenly.
Freezing
- Pasta salad doesn’t freeze well because it may affect the texture of vegetables and pasta.
- For freezing the pasta separately, cook it until it is firm let it cool completely and freeze it in a sealed container for up to 2-3 months.
- You can add fresh veggies and dressing to the pasta after thawing it. It keeps the texture of the salad.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the pasta house salad recipe provides a delightful texture and flavour. It is prepared with cheese, dressing, and fresh vegetables which makes it delicious and healthy.
So, whether you have it on the side as a main dish or all by itself it adds a flavorful treat to the meal. It always makes the mealtime enjoyable.
Read More:- Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad Recipe
Pasta House Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head of lettuce washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
- 1/2 cup croutons
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Italian dressing or vinaigrette
Instructions
- In a bowl, add halved cherry tomatoes, torn lettuce, blackolives, sliced red onions and pepperoncini peppers.
- Toss the ingredients until thoroughly mixed.
- Now, add the croutons to the salad and toss again.
- You can also sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over thetop of salad.
- Before serving, pour the vinaigrette or Italian dressing onthe salad. Begin with a little amount and include more as needed. Mix theingredients well with the dressing.
- Now, it’s time to serve the pasta.