What could be better in summer than a delicious pasta salad? It doesn’t matter whether it’s a side dish or a main course. A pasta salad like this tastes good, fills you up, but doesn’t weigh you down. This Italian pasta salad with rocket and cherry tomatoes is topped with spicy pine nuts. I have chosen a sweet-spicy dressing of good olive oil, balsamic cream, fresh garlic and Italian herbs. The hearty, slightly bitter rocket is the perfect counternote to the sweet dressing and the fruity sweet cherry tomatoes. So full of Italian lightness tastes like this.
With roasted Pine Nuts
The pine nuts give the salad that certain indefinable something. Before serving, they are roasted in a pan without oil and emit their unmistakable fine, slightly almond-like forest aroma. By the way, pine nuts are still picked and loosened from the cones by hand. They are therefore among the most expensive nuts in the world. But rightly so, I think. The aroma of the pine nuts adds the finishing touch to any pesto or pasta dish. Those who are short of cash, however, can make do with chopped and roasted almonds.
I chose Fusilli as pasta this time, but also Spagetti or Penne fit perfectly. By the way, did you know that the original Italian pasta is almost always vegan? It consists only of hard white flour and water. Egg is only used for freshly prepared pasta. But in Germany, you have to check the labels of dried pasta every time you buy it, because German manufacturers like to use eggs in their pasta.
Our vegan Italian pasta salad is perfect as side dish for the next barbecue or as a quick lunch in the office, because it is great to prep and take with you. However, you should store the rocket separately and add it just before serving.
And now have fun cooking this delicious pasta salat.
Italian pasta salad with rocket and cherry tomatoes
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 250 g Fusilli or Penne pasta
- 200 g cherry tomatoes
- 100 g pine nuts
- 150 g rocket salad
- ½ bunch fresh basil
- 1 handful fresh sprouts as topping (optional)
For the Dressing:
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar cream
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Italian herbs
- 1 clove garlic optional
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the noodles in salted water until they are al dente. If the salad shall be eaten warm, only drain the pasta. If it is to be eaten cold, rinse the pasta briefly under cold water.
- Fry the pine nuts in a pan without oil until they are slightly brown and have a pleasant fragrance.
- Halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes. Wash the rocket. Pluck the basil and cut into small pieces.
- Put all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl and stir.
- Mix olive oil, balsamic cream, lemon juice, Italian herbs and salt and pepper in a small bowl. If you like, you can add 1 clove of garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and stir well.
Notes
Nutritions
If you liked this recipe for Italian pasta salad you may also like one of these other Italian recipes:
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