Go ahead and skip the mayo with this Mediterranean Pasta Salad that is bright and briny with a wonderful array of ingredients. The zesty dressing made with Dijon and fresh herbs is a burst of flavour that takes this salad to the next level. Olives and pancetta add a nice texture and brininess to the pasta, while the spinach, cherry tomatoes and red onion keep it light and fresh. Mediterranean Pasta Salad is great for picnics, potlucks, backyard BBQ parties and your July long weekend. This salad holds up wonderfully the day it is made so there’s no fear of a soggy salad. The pasta and pancetta can be cooked up to two days ahead so tossing this salad together at the last minute is a cinch. Enjoy!
This recipe was one of the first posted to my blog back in 2016 and I forgot how delicious it is. I felt it deserved a little revival just in time to enjoy for summer.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until pasta is cool. Drain well and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet cook pancetta over medium heat until crispy and fat has been rendered, about 5-7 minutes. Drain well on a paper towel-lined plate.
Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil, oregano, Dijon mustard, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt and pepper.
Toss together pasta, pancetta, spinach, cherry tomatoes, black olives, red onion, parmesan cheese and dressing until combined. Adjust seasoning and serve.
Notes
-fresh herbs are lovely in this recipe, however, if you need to use dry herbs use 1/3 of the amount stated for fresh.-this salad is best served the day it is made but leftovers will keep for 2 days covered in the refrigerator.
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Spring has sprung, and it’s time to start thinking about grilling, fresh berries and salads. Japanese Cabbage Salad is fresh, light and a little bit crunchy for the perfect picnic, side or lunch salad. The change of season brings about fresh and light recipe ideas for blogging but also a welcome change for everyday living. It’s the opportunity to jog outdoors, enjoy long walks and drive to and from work in daylight. These are important things in my world. What’s got you excited for spring?
What I enjoy most about this salad is the almonds, they give a great crunchy texture to every bite. Using the chicken seasoning package from the noodles in the dressing is also genius. It provides a wonderful savoury and salty addition to the mound of cabbage. Japanese Cabbage Salad is great for picnics or potlucks because it holds up very well and there is no mayonnaise to cause concern if left to sit for a while. Have it as a meal by adding grilled or rotisserie chicken, it’s a great lunch.
The recipe suggests letting the salad rest for 30-60 minutes to meld the flavours, but truthfully, I enjoy it just as much the next day after the cabbage has absorbed more of the dressing. It’s rather embarrassing how much of this salad I can eat in one sitting, stopping only because my gut aches from eating so much raw cabbage. I’m not sure that salads are usually what people can’t stop eating but this one hits all the right notes for me. Enjoy
Whisk together the first six ingredients and set aside.
In a large bowl toss together shredded cabbage, almonds and green onion. Add dressing and toss to coat evenly. Break apart ramen noodles into small pieces with your hands and toss with salad. Cover salad and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to meld flavours and soften the noodles slightly. The salad can be made up to 2 hours in advance, tossing lightly just before serving.
Notes
-Slivered almonds are preferred as they offer the best crunch and size. To toast the almonds preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange almonds in a single layer in a pie plate or other shallow baking tray. Toast for 8-10 minutes until just starting to turn golden. -Easily make this salad into lunch by topping with cooked chicken.
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Here’s to having plenty of summer days that are too hot to want to cook. Tarragon Chicken Salad is perfect for just such days. No need to cook when tender chicken pairs up with mustard and creamy mayo for a wonderful salad that’s amazing on a crusty roll, croissant, lettuce wrap or cracker.
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Start with cooked chicken, preferably leftovers or even a pre-cooked roaster chicken for convenience. While I’m all for making as much homemade as possible, it’s hard to deny the lure of a plump, juicy roast chicken that’s ready when you need it. Whatever chicken you use, chop it chunky and avoid over mixing it after adding the other ingredients. Overmixing tends to break down the fibres of the chicken a little too much for my liking, so be gentle.
Along with the crisp chopped celery, I also like to add a few of the celery leaves for a bit of freshness. I have left out adding any onions to this chicken salad, however, thinly sliced scallions would be a nice additional touch if desired.
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The tarragon is a wonderful flavour to go with chicken and mustard. You’ll find that the longer it sits in the salad the stronger the flavour will be. It does take a little time for it to meld with everything. By all means use fresh tarragon if you can, using about 3 times the amount of the dry, so in this case, I’d use a tablespoon of fresh. The fresh won’t require the same amount of melding time, simply mix and enjoy!!
Add all ingredients to a medium size bowl starting with 1/3 cup of mayonnaise. Stir gently until combined adjusting creaminess with additional mayonnaise and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and up to several hours to allow flavours to meld.
Recipe Notes
-The tarragon flavour will become more pronounced the longer the chicken salad sits.
-A precooked roaster chicken that has been chilled works wonderfully.
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What’s your favourite summer slaw? I’m partial to a classic creamy coleslaw, so I immediately fell in love with Wasabi Slaw. It has all the creaminess of a mayonnaise-based dressing and the crunch of cool, crisp cabbage but it is set apart by the addition of wasabi. The earthy heat melds with the creamy dressing and gives just the right amount of punch. My perfect punchy heat may be different than yours, so add a little wasabi or add a lot.
For a crisp coleslaw, mix the dressing in advance but don’t add it to the cabbage until ready to serve. Keeping all ingredients cold before and after mixing will also help maintain a wonderful crunch. Enjoy!
In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, wasabi, vinegar, salt and pepper. Allow the dressing to sit refrigerated for at least 10 minutes or until ready to use to allow sugar to completely dissolve.
In a large bowl toss together cabbage, carrots and green onion.
Stir in dressing and serve immediately for a crisp coleslaw. .
Recipe Notes
The coleslaw with soften as it sits so it is best served immediately after adding dressing. It can be made a couple of hours ahead and tossed before serving if needed.
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Zahtar or Za’atar is a middle eastern spice blend that I’ve not had the pleasure to work with a lot with over the years. It’s a real shame because I love it! Earthy and nutty with hints of citrus makes it wonderful with so many foods. Hummus and pita are probably the first things people think of when they associate it, but it goes way beyond. Great with chicken, eggs and potatoes to name a few. I recently came across a Zahtar Egg Salad and figured why not incorporate it into a potato salad, and Zahtar Potato Salad was born.Â
I was not far off the mark thinking it would be delicious. The combination of briny, salty olives and creamy mayonnaise brings baby potatoes to life and makes for a great Mediterranean version. Even though I prefer the mayonnaise based potato salad, I did experiment with a warm salad version using olive oil to dress it instead of the mayonnaise. It too was a tasty version of potato salad but I just couldn’t stop scooping up the creamier version. Maybe because that was the way my mom used to make it and by far the type I’ve eaten most in my life.Â
The Zahtar I purchased contains salt, so I therefore found it was not necessary to add additional salt in this recipe. If your Zahtar does not contain salt, be sure to add salt to taste. You can also make your own if desired, here is a simple recipe from The Genius Kitchen
Preheat oven to 350℉ and place pine nuts in a single layer on a small baking tray or pie plate. Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes, turning at least once until golden. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to use.
Heat enough water to just cover the eggs and simmer gently for no more than 12 minutes. Drain and immediately cool under cold running water. Once cooled, peel and coarsely chop.
Steam or boil baby potatoes in simmering lightly salted water until just fork tender, about 8-10 minutes depending on size. Drain and cool under cold water. Allow potatoes to drain thoroughly once cool.
Cut potatoes into bite size pieces, usually a baby potato cut in half or quartered makes for a nice size.
In a medium size bowl stir together red onion, green olives, mayonnaise, greek yogurt, Zahtar and salt and pepper. Add chopped potatoes, eggs, pine nuts and cilantro. Gently stir into mayonnaise until combined. Serve immediately sprinkled with additional cilantro if desired. Can be chilled for several hours prior to serving if needed. Best served the day it is made.
Recipe Notes
-For time management, the potatoes, pine nuts and eggs can be cooked at the same time.
-The Zahtar I used contained salt, so little extra salt was needed. However, if your brand does not include salt you will need to adjust seasoning to taste.
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