Fresh Jamie Oliver Pasta Salad Recipe: Zesty Summer Delight

Mediterranean pasta salad offers a symphony of colors and tastes that electrify your palate with pure culinary excitement.

Crisp vegetables mingle with tender pasta, creating a dance of textures that feels like summer on a plate.

Zesty herbs and tangy dressing weave through each bite, transforming ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary experience.

Fragrant olive oil and fresh produce whisper stories of sunny coastal landscapes.

Bright, bold flavors burst through with each forkful, promising a meal that’s both satisfying and light.

This recipe breaks free from traditional salad norms, delivering a vibrant dish that connects people through shared deliciousness.

Grab your ingredients and let’s craft a meal that will become an instant favorite at your table.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 400 kcal

Servings: 4

What’s Inside Jamie Oliver Pasta Salad

• Pasta: Choose high-quality durum wheat pasta with good texture and smooth surface.
• Garlic Cloves: Select firm, plump garlic with tight, unblemished skin for robust flavor.

• Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives: Pick crisp, bright-colored vegetables with vibrant appearance and no soft spots.
• Chives, Basil Leaves: Select fresh, bright green herbs with no wilting or discoloration.

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Choose cold-pressed, deep green oil with rich, fruity aroma.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Look for aged vinegar with complex, slightly sweet undertone.
• Salt, Black Pepper: Use freshly ground pepper and high-quality sea salt for enhanced flavor.
• Parsley, Oregano: Choose aromatic, verdant herbs with strong, clean fragrance.

Jamie Oliver Pasta Salad Tools and Utensils

• Large Pot: Essential for boiling pasta with enough space for water and pasta to move freely.
• Cutting Board: Sturdy surface for chopping vegetables into precise bite-sized pieces.
• Sharp Knife: Helps dice cucumber, chop herbs, and halve olives with clean cuts.
• Mortar and Pestle: Perfect for crushing garlic cloves into a smooth paste (alternative: fine grater or knife).
• Colander: Needed to drain pasta and rinse with cold water quickly.
• Large Mixing Bowl: Spacious container for combining pasta, vegetables, and dressing.
• Measuring Spoons: Useful for adding precise amounts of salt and seasoning.
• Wooden Spoon or Tongs: Great for gently tossing salad and mixing ingredients evenly.

Preparing Jamie Oliver Pasta Salad

• Boil Pasta With Aromatic Garlic

Drop pasta into a bubbling pot of salted water along with whole garlic cloves. Cook until perfectly tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water to halt cooking, then set aside.

• Chop Fresh Garden Vegetables

Slice cucumber into tiny cubes. Tear basil leaves into delicate pieces. Halve kalamata olives and quarter cherry tomatoes. Snip fresh chives into small rings for vibrant color and zesty flavor.

• Craft Tangy Mediterranean Dressing

Squeeze roasted garlic from its skin and mash into a smooth paste. Whisk together with rich olive oil, bold balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of seasoning. Let flavors mingle and intensify.

• Blend And Elevate Salad

Toss pasta and crisp vegetables in a spacious mixing bowl. Drizzle dressing over the ingredients, gently folding to ensure every morsel is coated. Sprinkle additional herbs for a burst of freshness. Serve at a comfortable temperature to enjoy the harmonious blend of textures and tastes.

Flavor Options for Jamie Oliver Pasta Salad

• Boost Flavor Intensity: Roast the garlic cloves before crushing to develop a deeper, sweeter taste that will elevate the entire pasta salad's complexity.
• Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare this salad a day in advance to allow flavors to meld together, creating an even more delicious dish that tastes better as it sits.
• Quick Protein Boost: Toss in grilled chicken, feta cheese, or canned tuna to transform this light salad into a complete and satisfying meal perfect for lunch or dinner.
• Seasonal Swap-Ups: Experiment with different seasonal vegetables like roasted zucchini in summer, grilled asparagus in spring, or roasted butternut squash in autumn to keep the recipe exciting and fresh throughout the year.

Presenting Jamie Oliver Pasta Salad

• Serve as a Fresh Summer Lunch: Pack this vibrant pasta salad in a portable container for a quick, refreshing midday meal that's bursting with Mediterranean flavors.
• Pair with Grilled Proteins: Complement the salad with grilled chicken, shrimp, or fish to create a complete and satisfying dinner that's both light and nutritious.
• Create a Picnic Centerpiece: Bring this colorful dish to outdoor gatherings, where its zesty dressing and fresh ingredients will be a crowd-pleasing addition to any picnic spread.
• Enjoy as a Vegetarian Delight: Highlight the salad's vegetable-packed goodness as a standalone vegetarian option that's full of texture and vibrant taste.

Tips to Store Jamie Oliver Pasta Salad

• Preserve Freshness: Store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, keeping ingredients crisp and vibrant.
• Prep-Ahead Magic: Chop vegetables and make dressing a day in advance to save time and enhance flavor development through marination.
• Smart Serving Strategy: Keep dressing separate until just before serving to prevent vegetables from becoming soggy and maintain perfect texture.
• Temperature Tricks: Let chilled pasta salad sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to bloom and ingredients to soften slightly.

Vibrant Jamie Oliver Pasta Salad Recipe

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4.8 from 13 reviews

• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Jamie Oliver’s pasta salad offers a delightful Mediterranean-inspired blend of fresh ingredients and bold flavors. Crisp vegetables, herbs, and tangy dressing create a perfect summer dish you’ll crave at picnics and potlucks.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 310 g (10.9 oz) small shell-shaped pasta
• 255 g (9 oz) yellow cherry tomatoes
• 255 g (9 oz) red cherry tomatoes
• 1 handful black olives, pitted
• 0.5 cucumber
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsps fresh chives
• 1 handful fresh basil
• 4 tbsps white wine vinegar, or to taste
• 7 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Pasta Preparation: Boil salted water and cook pasta with whole garlic cloves until perfectly al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking, then transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl.
2. Vegetable Chopping: Dice cucumber, chives, basil leaves, olives, and tomatoes into precise, bite-sized pieces that complement the pasta’s shape, ensuring uniform texture and visual appeal.
3. Dressing Creation: Crush roasted garlic cloves into a silky paste using a mortar and pestle. Whisk in vinegar, olive oil, and selected seasonings, blending until the mixture achieves a smooth, cohesive consistency.
4. Final Assembly: Drizzle the aromatic dressing over the pasta and vegetable medley, gently folding to ensure every ingredient is lavishly coated. Taste and fine-tune seasoning with additional herbs, salt, and pepper to elevate the flavor profile.

Notes

• Maximize Garlic Flavor: Roasting whole garlic cloves during pasta boiling infuses deep, mellow flavor into the base of the dish.
• Precision in Chopping: Cut vegetables to consistent, bite-sized pieces matching pasta dimensions for optimal texture and balanced eating experience.
• Dressing Technique: Use mortar and pestle to crush garlic into smooth paste, ensuring intense, evenly distributed flavor throughout the salad.
• Temperature Control: Immediately rinse pasta with cold water to stop cooking process and prevent overdone, mushy texture, maintaining perfect al dente consistency.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Snacks
• Method: Boiling
• Cuisine: British

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 400
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 300 mg
• Fat: 30 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 35 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 8 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg