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spicy chilled pasta salad

Spicy Pasta Salad

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Salad
Cuisine Fusion
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • 1 Large pot
  • 1 colander
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 Small bowl
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 measuring cup set
  • 1 measuring spoon set
  • 1 Wooden spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 300 gram pasta fusilli, penne, or rotini; short shape
  • 1 tablespoon salt for pasta water
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 1 small red onion finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper diced
  • 1 small cucumber seeded and diced
  • 150 gram cherry tomatoes halved
  • 80 gram black olives sliced
  • 60 gram feta cheese crumbled
  • 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped
  • 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoon Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce your favorite brand
  • 1 teaspoon chili flakes
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 1/2–3/4 tsp salt to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or honey

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, add 1 tbsp salt, then cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
  • Drain the pasta in a colander, rinse under cold water until cool, then shake off excess water.
  • Transfer the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil to prevent sticking.
  • Prepare the vegetables by dicing the red onion, bell peppers, and cucumber, halving the cherry tomatoes, and slicing the olives.
  • Add the onion, bell peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta, parsley, and cilantro to the pasta bowl and gently mix.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, hot sauce, chili flakes, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, salt, and sugar or honey until smooth.
  • Pour the spicy dressing over the pasta mixture and toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, lemon juice, or hot sauce if desired.
  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  • Give the salad a final stir just before serving and garnish with a little extra feta and herbs if you like.

Notes

For best flavor, let the salad rest longer (up to a few hours) if you have time, as the pasta will soak up the dressing and heat from the spices; if it seems dry after chilling, simply add a splash of olive oil or a spoonful of yogurt and stir again. You can easily adjust the heat level by increasing or decreasing the hot sauce and chili flakes, or by adding a finely chopped fresh chili for extra kick. This dish is very flexible, so feel free to swap in other crunchy vegetables like celery or radishes, or proteins such as grilled chicken, chickpeas, or tuna to make it heartier. Use short, ridged pasta shapes to help the dressing cling better, and always cool the pasta completely before mixing to avoid melting the cheese and thinning the dressing. If bringing to a picnic or potluck, keep the salad well chilled and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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