Pasta salad recipes like cold pasta salad with olive oil and garlic are the quickest and easiest to make. This is because we use basic ingredients that allow us to add more items and create different dishes. These delicious recipes are the best alternative if you are running short on time.
Ingredients
- 10 oz. of your favorite pasta. We recommend using spiral-shaped pasta
- 4 Tbsp Italica Olive Oil
- 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
- ¼ cup fresh basil (chopped)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions
The first step is to cook the pasta. To do so, bring a large pot of water to boil. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta along with a dash of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil.
The cooking time will range from 10 to 12 minutes, depending on the instructions for the type of pasta you have selected. Drain the pasta once it is cooked.
Next, heat on medium 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chopped garlic and cook for one to two minutes.
Once the garlic is golden brown, lower the temperature and add the chopped fresh basil and parsley, and cook for another minute on low.
Transfer the cooked pasta to a large bowl and add the cooked ingredients (garlic and herbs) along with the lemon juice and parmesan cheese. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly and it’s ready!
*Chef’s tip*
Be sure not to overcook the basil and parsley. Simply warm them gently to release the wonderful flavors of these amazing herbs.
Make your own cold pasta salad with olive oil recipe
The best part of this pasta salad with olive oil is adding some ingredients to make your own personalized version.
Cold pasta salad with pine nuts
To give your cold pasta salad extra nutritional value, try adding nuts. We recommend including ¼ cup of pine nuts at the end when adding all the ingredients to the large bowl.
Cold pasta salad with chicken and vegetables
If you like chicken, then try making this pasta salad with chicken and vegetables. You can make an easy chicken stir fry with vegetables, and then add it to the cooked pasta along with the garlic and herbs. A balanced and delicious dish!
Cold pasta salad with tomatoes and mozzarella
You can also add cherry tomatoes and mozzarella instead of parmesan cheese to our cold pasta. Or try making our previous recipe, pasta with olive oil, tomatoes, basil and mozzarella.
It’s no exaggeration when we say that this is a versatile dish
Have you thought of any other dressing ideas for your cold pasta salad? Here are some quick dressing recipes for salads and pasta.
As you can see, speed and versatility go hand in hand with these recipes. Bon appétit!