Mediterranean Pasta & Rocket Salad (gluten-free)
Another summer day, another salad – My Mediterranean Pasta & Rocket Salad.
Trust me, once you ate it, you won’t be able to survive the summer without it. It’s perfect as a side dish for a barbecue with friends & family or as a main dish on it’s own. Delicious warm as well as right from the fridge, should you wanna make it ahead of time.
Dried tomato, olives & rocket make the perfect combination for a mediterranean flavour. Raw courgette, one of my favourite salad ingredients, also finds a place in this salad and delivers important nutrients.
Which pasta do I use? And why? Well, I usually use Farfalle or Fusilli for pasta salad. Their unique shape makes it easier for the oil, spices & flavours to stick to every single piece, so the overall taste is usually way better balanced.
I can especially recommend the pasta from Schaer and Barilla is also a great choice. You can order them here & save some money.
If you want a healthier option, try red lentil (or other vegetable) pasta. Just make sure to undercook them slightly, as they will become a little bit softer after being cooked.
Mediterranean Pasta & Rocket Salad
Ingredients
- 250 g short glutenfree pasta (e.g. Penne)
- 1 small courgette
- 1/2 packet rocket salad
- 2 spring onions alternatively 1 shallot
- 1/2 glass sundried tomatoes in olive oil
- 1/2 can olives without stones (green or black)
- 2 tbsp olive oil + some of the oil from the dried tomatoes
- salt & pepper
- 3 tbsp pine nuts
- 1/2 Feta Cheese (if not vegan)
Instructions
- Start with cooking the pasta. Use 1 litre of water & 1 heaped teaspoon of salt per 100g of pasta. Add the pasta once the water is boiling and cook the pasta without the lid. It should take roughly 8 minutes, but check on the package. Don't overcook the pasta, they should be perfectly al dente for the salad. Once fully cooked, pour into a colander, add to a salad bowl and mix with the of olive oil.
- While the pasta is cooling down, cut the courgette into small pieces and add to the bowl. Make sure to take out the watery bit in the middle of the courgette, otherwise the salad will later become watery. Cut the spring onions and olives into rings and the tomatoes into small pieces.
- Add everything to the bowl, season with salt, pepper & a little of the tomatoe oil. Lastly, add the rocket (wash if not washed) & pine nuts, mix everything & enjoy.
- For non-vegans, you might add some feta-cheese or goats-cheese. Foe vegans, some vegan feta could be a great addition. You can also roast the pine nuts, for some extra flavour.
I don’t know about you, but only writing this and adding all these pictures, I got really hungry. So I’m gonna eat a bowl of this delicious salad now. I hope you like the recipe as much as I do. If you do & if you make it, I’d love to hear about it and see a picture. Should you have any questions, just add a comment below! 🙂
Happy cooking,
Carolin