We can include pasta salad among the vegetarian and vegan recipes that we could serve to our guests during a summer buffet lunch or dinner. We enrich our pasta salads with always different seasonal vegetables. We can also add legumes, dried fruit, seeds and aromatic herbs.
Here is a collection of recipes for preparing ever-changing cold pasta at home. You can use classic semolina pasta but also wholemeal pasta or gluten-free pasta such as corn pasta.
Cold pasta, the universal recipe
If you are first and foremost looking for a “universal” recipe that will guide you in preparing your first cold pasta, because perhaps you are a novice in the kitchen, here you are satisfied. For a pasta salad that is always fresh and light, combine seasonal ingredients, perhaps both raw and cooked. Here are tips and tricks to follow.
Cold pasta with Genoese pesto and pachino tomatoes
If you love pesto, remember that this condiment is also good cold and that it pairs perfectly with your pasta salad, which you can enrich with cherry tomatoes and, if desired, also with green or black olives. Here is the recipe to follow to prepare cold fusilli with pesto.
Cold melon pasta
To prepare cold melon pasta you don’t need ready-made condiments, just cut some melon into cubes and add some smoked soy mozzarella. Here is the recipe to follow to prepare cold melon pasta.
Cold pasta: the no-cook lasagna recipe
To prepare a cold pasta dish that is a little different from the usual, you can choose to prepare a no-cook lasagna, using tomatoes, courgettes, basil and mozzarella as a condiment. You will find the recipe here.
Cold saffron pasta with courgettes and aubergines
If you are vegan or have vegan guests for dinner and want something quick to prepare, here is a cold saffron, courgette and aubergine pasta that is really easy to prepare. In fact, for the dressing you will only need aubergines, courgettes, an onion and some saffron. Here is the recipe to follow.
Cold pasta with courgettes, sweet corn, tomatoes and basil
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If, in addition to the classic fresh cherry tomatoes, you also love corn and courgettes, here is an idea for choosing them as a condiment for your cold pasta dish, combining them with basil, finely chopped onion and pepper, so your dish will have a very summery and colorful appearance.
Cold pasta with tomato and feta
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Tomato, avocado, black olives, red onions and feta cheese. Here’s what you’ll need to prepare a cold pasta that’s also great for taking to the beach. If you want, you can also choose to use wholemeal pasta, due to the shape, free choice, but remember that the best pasta is the short one. The preparation is very simple, you just have to cut all the ingredients into small pieces and add them to the pasta.
Cold pasta with grilled vegetables
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To prepare this cold pasta you can cook grilled vegetables or, even better, use leftover grilled vegetables, so that they are already cold and ready to use. You can grill peppers, aubergines and courgettes to season a good dish of short pasta, perhaps fusilli or farfalle.
Cold pasta with peas, lemon and mint
For a particularly fresh cold pasta, try the combination of peas, lemon and mint. Cook the peas, let them cool and add them to the pasta together with the grated zest of an organic lemon, a few drops of its juice and fresh mint leaves. Season everything with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Cold pasta with cherry tomatoes and mozzarella
To season your cold pasta you can combine tomatoes with basil and mozzarella, a classic and always valid dish.
Cold pasta with chickpeas and tomatoes
If you have some available chickpeas here’s an idea for you: cold pasta with chickpeas and tomatoes. If you have dried chickpeas available, you can soak them the night before, cook them the next day and then stir in them together with garlic and cherry tomatoes. If you don’t have much time available, you can use the ones in a jar, taking care to rinse them well before cooking them.
Cold pasta with rocket pesto and cherry tomatoes
For a cold pasta with a fresh and slightly spicy taste, you can prepare an arugula pesto by blending the arugula with extra virgin olive oil, dried fruit and, if you want, a little grated cheese or nutritional yeast for a vegan version. Complete the dish with cherry tomatoes cut in half and a few fresh basil leaves.
Cold pasta with peppers, olives and capers
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Peppers are among the protagonist vegetables of summer and are perfect for seasoning a pasta salad. You can roast them or cook them in a pan, let them cool and add them to the pasta together with black or green olives, capers and parsley. Season with extra virgin olive oil and, if you like, a few drops of lemon juice.
Cold pasta with lentils and vegetables
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To make your cold pasta richer you can add lentils, choosing those already cooked if you have little time. Pair them with cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and thinly sliced red onion. This pasta salad is also perfect as a main dish to prepare in advance.
Cold pasta with courgette and almond pesto
Courgettes can also be used to prepare a fresh and creamy pesto. Blend them raw with almonds, basil, extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Use the pesto obtained to season fusilli, penne or farfalle and complete with some chopped almonds.
Cold pasta with cherry tomatoes, avocado and basil
For a quick cold pasta to prepare you can combine avocado and cherry tomatoes. Cut the avocado into cubes and season it with a little lemon juice to prevent it from blackening, then add cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil. A simple and completely plant-based proposal.
Cold Mediterranean pasta with aubergines and olives
Aubergines, cherry tomatoes and olives are the perfect ingredients for a cold pasta with a Mediterranean flavour. Cook the diced aubergines in a pan or on the grill, let them cool and add them to the pasta together with cherry tomatoes, olives, oregano and basil. You can also add some capers.
Cold pasta with green beans, potatoes and pesto
An idea inspired by the flavors of Ligurian cuisine is to combine green beans, potatoes and pesto with pasta. Boil the diced potatoes and green beans, let them cool and mix them with the pasta. Add the pesto only when all the ingredients are cold.
Cold pasta with tofu, cherry tomatoes and olives
If you are looking for a more substantial cold vegan pasta you can add some diced tofu. You can use it plain or brown it quickly in a pan before letting it cool. Combine it with cherry tomatoes, olives, basil and oregano to obtain a complete and tasty dish.
Cold pasta with peaches, rocket and walnuts
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Even summer fruit can become the protagonist of pasta salads. Try pairing not too ripe peaches cut into wedges or cubes with rocket and walnuts. Season with extra virgin olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice. For a vegetarian version you can also add feta or flakes of cheese, even goat’s cheese, while for the vegan variant it will be enough to leave the dish completely vegetable.
