Melon And Basil Pasta Salad
This is one of my favorite vegetarian salads during summer time. It’s refreshing, full of flavors and colors, fast and easy!
When making a salad, the most important things are the freshness and the good quality of the ingredients you are using. For example, fresh basil instead of dried or frozen, a good olive oil, ripe melon and tomatoes…
To choose the right melon, I always pick a few of them and see how they feel. It should feel heavy for its size, the heavier the sweeter. I also like to smell it, if it doesn’t smell like anything, it’s not ripe enough, if the smell is too strong, it’s overripe.
Regarding the pasta, I usually use farfalle or penne for this salad. Because I find that the texture and size work perfectly with the rest of the ingredients.
A long time ago, when I wasn’t a vegetarian, I used to put dry-cured ham in this salad. It creates a great balance of sweet and salty with the melon. So now, I decided to replace it with Kalamata olives, I love their salty, smoky taste.
Nothing is set in stone, if you’re missing one ingredient or don’t like it, replace it! Feta cheese instead of mozzarella, capers instead of olives, dried tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes…
This salad is more enjoyable to eat at room temperature. If you do it in advance, make sure to take it out of the fridge at least 20 minutes before eating.
Melon and basil pasta salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups farfalle pasta 140 g
- 8 cherry tomatoes
- 1 dz Kalamata olives
- ⅔ cup Cantaloupe melon ½ small melon – 100g
- ⅓ cup red onion ¼ red onion
- ½ cup mozzarella 3 medium balls – 90g
- 1 tbsp fresh basil 3 leaves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
Instructions
- Start by cooking the pasta in salted boiling water. When ready, strain and rinse with cold water to cool down. It will also prevent the pasta from sticking together.
- In the meantime, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, chop the red onion, melon and basil, and slice the mozzarella. Add to the dressing.
- Add the olives and the pasta and mix together.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning.
