Angel Hair Pasta Salad
Light, bouncy angel hair makes for a surprisingly stellar pasta salad. Dressed in a simple mayonnaise and vinegar dressing, a rainbow confetti of raw vegetables shines in this chill, endlessly adaptable recipe. Salting the vegetables in advance, allowing them to sweat their excess moisture and then patting them dry, leads to crunchier, longer-lasting results. This salad keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, covered; as it sits, the vegetables give off their flavor and fragrance to the blank-canvas pasta. Simply stir before serving to redistribute any dressing that has collected on the bottom of the bowl.
Ingredients
- 1small red onion, diced
- 3tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/2teaspoon sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper or red-pepper flakes
- 4cups raw vegetables, such as any mix of broccoli, celery, carrot, tomato, corn, zucchini, summer squash and bell pepper, diced (see Tip)
- 8ounces angel hair pasta, broken in half
- 1/2cup mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s or Best Foods
- 1/2cup finely chopped tender herbs, such as parsley, dill, scallions, chives, mint and basil (optional)
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the onion, vinegar and sugar. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Place the vegetables in a colander in the sink, season with salt and toss. Let them sweat for about 10 minutes. Pat dry with a clean towel.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain, then rinse under the cold tap and drain well.
Stir the mayonnaise into the onion and vinegar. Add the pasta, vegetables and herbs, and toss to combine. (This salad is easiest to mix with your hands.) Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper.
Serve at room temperature or cold, straight from the refrigerator. (This pasta salad keeps, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.)
Notes
Remember that a dice cut is about ½ inch. To achieve this, slice the vegetable into long, ½-inch-wide planks; then slice those lengthwise into ½-inch-thick batons; finally, slice those crosswise to create ½-inch cubes.
Nutrition
- Info
- Trans Fat: 0 gramsFat: 12 gramsCalories: 221Saturated Fat: 2 gramsUnsaturated Fat: 10 gramsSodium: 269 milligramsSugar: 3 gramsFiber: 2 gramsCarbohydrate: 24 gramsProtein: 5 grams