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Pasta Salad with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette is Your Go-to Summer Pleaser

Tossing short pasta with a roasted garlic vinaigrette in a pasta salad is a winner this summer.

5:48 PM EDT on June 19, 2023

As cooking (and eating) often move outdoors for summer, pasta salads can be a versatile, seasonal accompaniment to meats off the grill or prepared foods taken to your fresh air destination of choice. This dish of penne in a roasted garlic vinaigrette — tossed with fresh mozzarella, chopped tomatoes, salt-cured olives, grated cheese, herbs and seasonings — is a crowd-pleasing, flavor-forward compliment to any event under the sun or stars. We especially recommend using organic penne rigate from San Francisco-based Flour + Water as their attention to texture really holds the sauce, and the clean flavor and toothiness are the perfect compliments to this bountiful salad.

Buon appetito!

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Summer Pasta Salad with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Summer Pasta Salad with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Andrew Cotto
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes

Ingredients

  • For the pasta:

  • 1 pound 1 any short, high-quality dried pasta

  • 1 pound 1 fresh mozzarella, cubed

  • 1 cup 1 salt cured black olive, pitted

  • 4 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

  • 1 cup 1 chopped parsley or torn basil

  • For the Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette:

  • 1 bulb 1 garlic with the top sliced off horizontally

  • 1 cup 1 + 1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • 1 cup 1 grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

  • 1/3 cup 1/3 Red Wine Vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon 1 dried Italian seasoning (or simply oregano)

  • Salt & Black Pepper to taste

Directions

  • FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Brush the teaspoon of EVOO over the exposed garlic cloves.
  • Wrap the bulb in tin foil and place in the oven.
  • Roast for 40 minutes, until the bulb is fragrant and soft.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the vinegar and a pinch of salt.
  • Slowly whisk in the EVOO until an emulsion forms.
  • Unwrap the garlic bulb and squeeze the cloves into the vinaigrette.
  • Add the Italian seasonings.
  • Add salt & pepper to taste.
  • Whisk all of the ingredients together.
  • Set aside.
  • FOR THE PASTA:
  • Put on a large pot of water to boil.
  • Add a palmful of salt to the water.
  • Add the pasta and stir until the water returns to a boil.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
  • Drain the pasta and shake off excess water.
  • Add pasta to the mixing bowl with the vinaigrette.
  • Toss thoroughly and allow the pasta to absorb some of the vinaigrette and cool.
  • Before serving, add the mozzarella, tomatoes, olives, Parmigiano, and parsley or basil.
  • Toss thoroughly.
  • Enjoy!

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