Breakfast will become more interesting and delicious if you make this salad for the whole family to enjoy with its incredibly appealing flavors and colors. Let’s cook and immediately make 3 ways to prepare pasta salad with TasteVN!
1. Cheese sausage pasta salad
-
Preparation
15 minutes
-
Cooking
25 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for cheese sausage pasta salad For 4 people
Pasta 450 gr Sausage/Pepperoni 128 gr Mini mozzarella cheese balls 100 gr Hot peppers 64 gr Olive oil 120 ml Red wine vinegar 60 ml (can be replaced with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar) Italian salad dressing 2 tablespoons Lemon juice 1 tablespoon Chili powder 1/6 teaspoon Garlic powder 1/2 tablespoon Sugar 1 tablespoon
Suggestions for where to buy olives
- Currently, you can buy olives at supermarkets or on reputable e-commerce websites, with the price for a 350g jar of olives ranging from 55,000 VNĐ to 60,000 VNĐ (price updated on July 19, 2021).
- When purchasing, you should choose jars of olives with clear origin and complete information printed on the product packaging.
- In addition, when buying, you should select jars with a production date closest to the purchase date to get the freshest and highest quality olives.
- Avoid selecting jars that show signs of mold, have sediment in the olive brine, or any abnormalities inside the jar.
How to make sausage cheese pasta salad
-
Prepare the ingredients
Put 500ml of water in a pot, boil over high heat until the water in the pot boils, then add the dry pasta, and cook for 3 minutes until the pasta is soft, then turn off the heat and rinse with clean water to cool the pasta.
Wash the cherry tomatoes, remove the stems, and cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Slice the sausages into thin pieces.
Cut the mini mozzarella balls into small bite-sized pieces. Peel and chop the shallots.
Wash the chili peppers and chop them finely. For the black olives, simply take them out of the jar and chop them up.
-
Make the dressing
Add in order 120ml olive oil, 60ml red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/6 teaspoon chili powder into a bowl. Then mix well for the ingredients to combine.
-
Mix the salad
After the ingredients in the dressing are well combined, add the boiled pasta, chopped mini mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, sausages, shallots, chili, and olives into the dressing bowl.
Then mix well for the ingredients to absorb and coat evenly with the dressing, then use food wrap to tightly cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour before taking it out and enjoying!
-
Final product
The pasta salad with cheese and sausage will have a very eye-catching color once completed. When eaten, you will feel the appealing chewy pasta combined with sweet and sour olives, delicious sweet red onions, and creamy mini mozzarella balls coated evenly with a rich dressing.
2. Asparagus pasta salad
-
Preparation
15 minutes
-
Cooking
10 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Asparagus pasta salad Serves 4 people
Dry pasta 200 gr Asparagus 300 gr Parsley 40 gr Cherry tomatoes 350 gr Red onion 1/4 bulb Canned chickpeas 128 gr Pickled artichokes 200 gr Oregano 1/3 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons Lemon juice 3 tablespoons Olive oil 59 ml Ground pepper/salt A little
How to choose fresh and delicious asparagus
- Fresh asparagus will have sturdy, plump, straight stems that are not broken or wilted. Specifically, fresh asparagus will have no smell, and when observing the asparagus stalks, they will have bright colors, becoming darker at the tips and not yellowing.
- Additionally, good asparagus will have dry, not waterlogged bases. To ensure quality, you should buy asparagus from reputable places such as supermarkets, grocery stores, or agricultural product shops to guarantee quality and origin.
- You should avoid buying asparagus stalks that have black spots on the stems and show signs of mold. Especially, when the asparagus tips start to flower.
Suggestions for buying salad ingredients
Dijon mustard
- You can buy dijon mustard at supermarkets or on reputable e-commerce sites with prices for a 200g jar ranging from 87,000 VNĐ to 90,000 VNĐ (price updated on July 19, 2021).
- When buying, you should choose jars with a clear origin and all necessary information printed on the product packaging. Avoid buying jars of mustard that are past their expiration date.
Parsley
- You can buy fresh parsley at markets or supermarkets with prices for 100g ranging from 19,000 VNĐ to 25,000 VNĐ (price updated on July 19, 2021).
- When buying, you should choose parsley sprigs that are vibrant green with a mild, characteristic fragrance. Do not choose sprigs with yellow, wilted leaves.
Oregano
- Currently, oregano, also known as dried Vietnamese mint, is being sold in supermarkets or on reputable e-commerce sites with prices for a 10g jar ranging from 42,000 VNĐ to 50,000 VNĐ (price updated on July 19, 2021).
- When purchasing, you should choose jars of oregano produced by reputable brands and remember to check the expiration date before buying!
How to make Asparagus Pasta Salad
-
Prepare the vegetables
Wash the asparagus clean, then use your hands to separate the ends from the stalks. Store the ends away and cut the tips diagonally into small pieces about 2 finger lengths long.
For parsley, remove the roots, wash it clean, and chop it finely. After removing the stems, wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half lengthwise.
Peel the onion and slice it thinly.
Tip: To reduce the strong smell of the onion, you can soak the onion in cold water.
-
Boil pasta and asparagus
Place a pot on the stove, add about 1 liter of water to the pot and boil on high heat for about 2 minutes until the water boils, then add the pasta, stir well until the pasta is just cooked, then add the chopped asparagus, cook for another minute, then turn off the heat.
Drain into a colander and soak the pasta and asparagus in a bowl of ice water for about 10 minutes, then shake to drain.
Tip: To help the pasta be chewy and the asparagus retain its green color, place both ingredients in ice water.
-
Make the dressing
Add 2 teaspoons of salt, 1/3 teaspoon of oregano, 1/3 teaspoon of ground pepper, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, and 59ml of olive oil into the jar.
Then, close the lid and shake well for the spices to mix together into a beautiful green-yellow mixture.
-
Mix the salad
Gradually add the asparagus and boiled pasta along with 128g of canned chickpeas into a large bowl, then evenly drizzle the shaken dressing into the bowl and use a spoon to mix well so that the ingredients are coated and absorb the seasoning, and it’s done.
-
Final Product
The asparagus pasta salad when completed will have an enticing aroma of mustard. When eaten, you will experience the delightful crunch of pasta and asparagus combined with creamy chickpeas, fresh cherry tomatoes, and aromatic onions.
The dressing mixed in is sweet and sour, with a very rich and captivating tang. Give it a try and enjoy!
3. Cucumber and Sprout Pasta Salad
-
Preparation
15 minutes
-
Cooking
10 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Cucumber Sprout Pasta Salad Serves 4 people
Dry pasta 500 gr Sprouts 400 gr Cucumber 4 pieces Mini mozzarella cheese balls 200 gr Red onion 1/2 bulb Coriander 2 sprigs Cherry tomatoes 100 gr White vinegar 3 tablespoons Oregano 1/3 teaspoon Olive oil 120 ml Pepper/ sugar/ salt a little
How to Choose Fresh Ingredients
How to choose fresh cucumbers
- It is best to choose cucumbers that are long and slender, with intact skin covered in a white powdery layer, preferably with small bumps on the skin. These fruits are freshly harvested, so they will be tastier and crunchier.
- Additionally, when buying, you should choose cucumbers that still have their stems, are fresh, and have green tips that have not fallen off.
- Avoid selecting cucumbers that are light yellow or too dark green as they are often spoiled or chemically treated.
How to choose sprouts
- When choosing sprouts, select products with clear origins available at reputable stalls that ensure food safety at local markets.
- Avoid purchasing sprout packages that have unusual colors, yellowing leaves, unpleasant odors, bruised vegetables, or leaking liquids.
- Moreover, sprouts that have unusually large green stems and leaves or overly shiny leaves with new roots are likely treated with growth chemicals, which can be harmful if consumed.
-800x450-1.jpg "3 Simple and Unusual Ways to Make Pasta Salad for a Family Meal 39")
How to make Cucumber Sprout Pasta Salad
-
Prepare the ingredients
Put 800ml of water into a pot and boil over high heat for about 2 minutes until the water in the pot boils vigorously, then add 500gr of pasta, cook for about 12 minutes until the pasta is soft, then turn off the heat, place the pasta in a colander and rinse with water.
Wash the cucumber and cut it into thin slices. For the red onion, remove the roots, peel and slice it thinly.
Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half lengthwise. Remove the roots of the bean sprouts and rinse them 2-3 times with water. Wash the cilantro, remove the roots, and chop it finely.
-
Mix the salad dressing
Add 120ml of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, 1/3 teaspoon of oregano, the juice of 1 lemon, a little grated lemon zest, and chopped cilantro into a jar. Then, cover the lid and shake vigorously for about 1 minute until the ingredients are well mixed and dissolved.
-
Mix the salad
Gradually add the ingredients including: cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, mini mozzarella balls, cucumber, red onion, and sprouts into a large bowl.
Then, evenly drizzle the dressing around the plate, and use a spoon to mix well so that all the ingredients soak in and blend together, and then you can enjoy!
-
Final Product
The cucumber and sprouts pasta salad will have a very eye-catching color palette with shades like white, yellow, red, green, etc., from the ingredients once completed.
Additionally, when eating, one can feel the fresh and delicious taste of the sprouts, tomatoes, and cucumbers combined with the soft and chewy pasta strands.
The mini mozzarella balls are creamy and coated evenly with a rich sweet and sour sauce, fragrant with coriander and the distinctive smell of lemon. Be sure to try it and experience it right away!
How to choose fresh and delicious cherry tomatoes
- To select good tomatoes, you should choose those with bright red skin, even color, no scratches, and are plump.
- Additionally, naturally ripened tomatoes usually have a gentle fragrance, which can be easily noticed when sniffed, and the green stem is still tightly attached to the fruit, not wilted or falling off.
- Avoid buying tomatoes that are abnormally large, without green stems, and with consistently shiny skin. This may indicate that they have been treated with chemicals.
I hope that through these 3 simple and unique pasta salad recipes, you can make your family’s breakfast more appealing and flavorful. Wishing you success with this dish!
