Pasta Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette | Easy Penne Pasta Salad Recipe | Strawberry Vinaigrette and Pasta Salad Recipe

Here I bring you a very simple Pasta Salad with refreshing flavors from quick and easy Strawberry Vinaigrette. A delicious medley of flavors from Indian and Italian Cuisine.

Pasta Salad with Penne Pasta, cherry tomatoes and cheese of the choice is a hearty filling with sweet, spicy and tangy tones.

I won't say it is a typical Italian Pasta Salad, but a mix of flavors and ingredients from different cuisines. It is a very customizable recipe that you can adapt as per your taste and availabity of ingredients. Try playing out with different flavors from fruits spices and herbs. Checkout the details below where I mentioned about the ingredients.

We are in North India these days and it's mid February, the weather today gave a sneak peak of a warm weather. We are in Delhi region which happens to be our native place after a gap 10-12 years and I am cooking up all the regional winter produce that we missed when we were in USA or in the Western part of India. With the heat suddenly going up, hubby wanted something light and something different for the day and today happens to be the Valentine Day too!! I had a bowl of boiled pasta left from last night and some cherry tomatoes, and handful of strawberries. Initially thought of making strawberry pasta salad but then it just clicked me why not make a small batch of Strawberry Vinaigrette for the salad.

So I made this salad bowl for just two of us!! Kids were not interested in having it, so they were treated with homemade Pizza for the dinner.

And here is my delicious Pasta Salad with refreshing flavors from strawberries, mint and lemon.

Let's see what all went into this light and filling Pasta Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients for Pasta Salad

Boiled Pasta- Use any type pasta your like. I personally like to add Penne/Farfalle/Fusilli/Rotini. Choose the one that can trap the juices and the dressing.

Vegetables- Add veggies that add crunch and color to it. Today I didn't have much choice but I love to add red bell peppers, cucumber, blanched broccoli, cheery tomatoes(whole/halved),baby spinach, arugula leaves, lettuce etc.. You can add fresh olives it these are availabe with you. I added pickled olives and a bit of pickled jalapenos for the spicy kick. Remember it is an adaptable salad recipe!!

Cheese- I love to add cheese to salads. Fresh Mozzarella is my first choice for salad like this, followed by Feta. But here I have used fresh cottage cheese(Paneer) from the Indian Cuisine, which I equally like in my salads when I don't have my favorites as hubby is not a fan of processed cheese. Indian Cottage Cheese blended well in the recipe. Paneer pieces wrapped in sweet and tangy strawberry vinaigrette and herbs is must try in salads if you haven't tried yet.

Herbs- Finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves with mix of dried mint( or fresh mint) added a nice refreshing flavour. You can also use Basil, Rosemary, Thyme any of your favourite herb.

Bread Croutons- Add for some more crunch and to make a filling wholesome salad.

Others- Black Pepper, Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Dressing/Vinaigrette- Strawberry Vinaigrette in the salad adds a sweet, tangy and a bit sour taste to the salad. You can also add any other dressing here. Like this Basil and Lemon Dressing

Steps to make Strawberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients for Strawberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients for Strawberry Vinaigrette

Add sweetener, black salt and leave for 20 mins

Add to a blender with oil and Tabasco sauce (optional)

Blend to a smooth puree

Steps to make Pasta Salad

One simple and easy step to take all the ingredients in a bow, add the Vinaigrette/dressing and give a mix. Adjust the spices, salt and sweetness as required.

While making ahead for parties/ potlucks add all the ingredients together and add the dressing about 30 mins before serving. By this time juices from tomatoes, Vinaigrette coats the veggies and pasta very nicely with the right hint of sweet, tangy and salty taste.

Pasta Salad in Strawberry Vinaigrette

Swati

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Pasta Cooking Time 15 minutes mins

Course Salads

Cuisine Indo-Italian Fusion, Italian

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For Strawberry Vinaigrette

• 5-6 Red, Ripe juice Strawberries
• 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar or Balsamic Vinegar
• 1-2 tsp Lemon Juice or juice of half lemon
• 1 tbsp Honey/Maple Syrup
• 1 tsp Dried Mint or any of your choice optional
• 1 tsp Tabasco Sauce
• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil

For Pasta Salad

• 1-2 tbsp Strawberry Vinaigrette or as required
• 1 Cup Boiled Pasta
• 10-12 Cherry Tomatoes
• 5-6 Pickled/Fresh Olives or as required
• ½ Cup Cubed Paneer/any cheese of choice fresh mozzarella/crumbled feta
• 1 medium Red Onion
• ½ Cup Bread Croutons/toasted bread pieces
• 1-2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Black Pepper as required
• Chilli Flakes as required
• Fresh Cilantro as required
• Salt as required

Instructions

 

Make Vinaigrette

• Clean wash and hull strawberries. Chop roughly.
• Add lemon juice, vinegar and leave for about 20 mins.
• Then add all the other ingredients except oil.
• In processor/blender/chutney jar. puree it to smooth mixer.
• Add oil give a small pulse so that it mixes well.
• Store it in an air tight glass container.

Make Pasta Salad

• Take Pasta( I had boiled pasta). Check Notes.
• Halve cherry tomatoes or use whole.
• Halve olives if you have whole olives. Chop other veggies like cucumber, olives , red bell pepper if you are using.
• In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix nicely. Add finely chopped fresh cilantro.
• Add bread croutons before serving else it gets soggy.

Notes

To boil Pasta-- For 1 Cup pasta, heat about 4-5 cups water. Take sufficient big pan.

Once the water starts to boil. add pasta and cook till soft(when boiling only for salads).

Drain the water and keep pasta to cool.

Add pasta in salad or as required.

For Vegan Version--

Skip Cheese or use Vegan Cheese.

Skip honey add maple syrup or brown sugar or jaggery powder or any other raw organic sweetener.

Keyword Pasta Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Did you try the recipe..Share @foodtrails25 or tag me #foodtrails25!

Tried this recipe?Share @foodtrails25 or tag me #foodtrails25!

Do try this delicious pasta salad with sweet, tangy and a bit spicy tones. Make it for your parties, celebrations, game day or backyard parties with your friends. It is a gorgeous salad served in a bowl with beautiful colors with a recipe that you can adjust as per your taste and availability of ingredients.

Other Salad Recipes from the blog to try..

Refreshing Greek Salad

Delhi Style Fruit Chaat/Indian Fruit Salad

Kachumber Salad

Black Beans Tacos with Crunchy Tacos

Corn and Peanut Chaat

I am sure you and your loved ones will surely love it as much as we love it.

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