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A pasta salad so good that I probably won’t create another for a very, very long time. Here’s what we’ve got – charred asparagus, caramelized leeks, burst cherry tomatoes, salami, olives, fresh mozzarella, toasted walnuts, lots of herbs, and a garlic oil vinaigrette. It’s truly the only pasta salad recipe you’ll ever need.
When it comes to pasta salad, the fresher and bigger on flavor, the better. And this one hits all the marks.
Trust me, this needs to be your go-to recipe for all of the backyard gatherings and summer picnics to come! It’s one of my favorite new recipes to hit the blog, mainly because I know it’s something anyone can make…yet it still feels really exciting and special.
Essential Pasta Salad Elements
The caramelized vegetables create lots of depth and sweetness, while the salami, olives, and mozzarella add in a good amount of texture and pops of different flavors (we’ve got rich, salty, briny, and fresh).
The toasted walnuts are a definite must for a nice nutty crunch, and then the mound of fresh herbs is a crucial component to brighten everything up.
It all gets pulled together with a rich garlic oil vinaigrette, which is a much welcomed change of pace from the somewhat generic “italian seasoning” taste that most pasta salad dressings have.
The one ingredient, though, that will make or break the impact of this pasta salad is…salt! As in most dishes, without just the right amount of salt, the flavors of the dish won’t be powerful enough. The taste will be lacking and won’t give off that full-flavored intensity that makes you coming back bite after bite.
You want to add salt at each of these stages when working through the pasta salad recipe:
- to the pasta water when cooking the pasta (a very, very generous amount here)
- when caramelizing each vegetable, individually
- when making the vinaigrette (a good vinaigrette should taste a bit too salty on its own; that way, when it’s dispersed throughout the pasta salad and waters down a bit, it’ll still hold its flavor)
- at the very end, after tasting a bite or two of the finished dish, to adjust the salt to be just right for your own taste
I hope you love this pasta salad recipe! As always, let me know if you make it and what you think!!
The Only Pasta Salad Recipe You’ll Ever Need
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a pasta salad full of charred asparagus, caramelized leeks, burst cherry tomatoes, toasted walnuts, olives, salami, fresh mozzarella, lots of herbs, and a garlic oil vinaigrette
serves: 6
- Author: Kayla Howey
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb dried orecchiette pasta
- kosher salt, as needed
- extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- 4 oz walnuts
- 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and peeled
- 2 leeks, thinly sliced
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ¾ cup castelvetrano olives, halved
- ½ lb fresh mozzarella (bocconcini), quartered
- 6 oz genoa salami, diced
- 3 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
- 8 leaves basil, torn
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a heaping palmful of salt. Add the orecchiette and cook according to the box’s instructions. Drain the pasta, rinse under cold water, and let drain again. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl and toss with a light coating of olive oil. Set aside.
- In a large cast-iron skillet, add the walnuts over low heat. Allow the walnuts to toast until golden and fragrant, a few minutes or so. Transfer the walnuts to a cutting board, let cool slightly, roughly chop, and set aside.
- Wipe out the skillet so it’s free of crumbs. Heat over medium. Add enough olive oil to just coat the bottom of the skillet. Add the asparagus. Season with a pinch of salt. Let cook until caramelized and tender, flipping often. Transfer the asparagus to the cutting board, let cool slightly, and slice into 1” pieces.
- To the same skillet, add a little more olive oil. Add the leeks and repeat the process. Transfer the leeks to a plate.
- Add the ½ cup of olive oil to the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the cherry tomatoes. Season with a pinch of salt. Allow the tomatoes to cook slowly until they burst and are soft, about 10 minutes. Once fully caramelized, add the cherry tomatoes to the plate of leeks.
- Lower the heat all the way and add the garlic to the remaining olive oil. Let cook for 20 seconds. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, honey, and mustard. Slowly drizzle in all of the garlic oil, including the minced garlic itself, whisking until emulsified. Season with a generous pinch of salt.
- Add the asparagus, leeks, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, olives, mozzarella, salami, parsley, chives, and basil to the pasta. Drizzle in the vinaigrette. Toss really well. Taste the pasta salad and season with more salt if needed.
