Pasta salad
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (September 2014) |
 A pasta fredda with fusilli pasta, tomato and vegetables | |
| Type | Pasta |
|---|---|
| Course | Appetizer, side dish or main course |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Main ingredients | Pasta, vinegar or oil or mayonnaise |
Pasta salad (in Italian pasta fredda, meaning 'cold pasta') is a salad dish prepared with one or more types of pasta, almost always chilled, and most often tossed in a vinegar, oil, or mayonnaise-based dressing. It is typically served as an appetizer, side dish or a main course. Pasta salad is often regarded as a spring or summertime meal, but it can be served any time of year.
Origins[edit]
Whilst there is no clear origin for the salad, there are various theories that claim different origins for the salad. Some historians and chefs such as Claudia Roden trace back the origin of pasta salad to Italian Jews in the Roman Empire, who reused cold pasta as Jewish Law prohibited cooking on sabbath.[1]
The modern version of pasta salad that uses macaroni dates back to 1914 in an American recipe. [citation needed]
Ingredients[edit]
The ingredients used vary widely by region, restaurant, seasonal availability, and/or preference of the preparer. The salad can be as simple as cold macaroni mixed with mayonnaise (a macaroni salad), or as elaborate as several pastas tossed together with a vinaigrette and a variety of fresh, preserved or cooked ingredients. Additional types of pasta may be used, such as ditalini.[2] These can include vegetables, legumes, cheeses, nuts, herbs, spices, meats, poultry, or seafood.[3] Broccoli, carrot, baby corn, cucumber, olives, onion, beans, chick peas, peppers, and parmesan or feta cheeses are all popular ingredients in versions typically found at North American salad bars.
Oceanic commercial variation[edit]
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In Australian and New Zealand cuisine, pasta salad became increasingly popular during the 1990s when commercial versions became more readily available in supermarket stores. It is made of cooked pasta pieces (usually either shell pasta, elbow-shaped pasta or penne) covered in mayonnaise and accompanied by carrots, capsicum (bell peppers), and sometimes celery. It is similar in style to the American macaroni salad.
Gallery[edit]
- Pasta salads
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The pasta salad at the Du Ve Sue in New Orleans -
Pasta salad with lobster, butter beans and chives -
A pasta salad prepared with fusili pasta -
Macaroni salad with a mayonnaise dressing
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See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "The Dishes of the Jews of Italy: A Historical Survey" (PDF). Zamir.Org. August 31, 2008. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
- ^ "Ditalini Chopped Salad". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 15, 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
- ^ "Seafood Pasta Salad". Australian Women's Weekly. August 15, 2015. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
External links[edit]
