Pasta Salad

By Melissa Clark

Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Eugene Jho. Prop Stylist: Christina Lane.
Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(591)
Notes
Read 36 community notes
This pasta salad has everything you could want in the bowl: loads of ripe tomatoes,
chunks of mozzarella, sliced olives, salami and plenty of fresh green herbs, all tossed in
a garlicky, oregano-spiked red wine vinaigrette. Serve it the same day it’s made for the
brightest flavor and best texture.

Featured in: 20 Easy Salads for Every Summer Table

Ingredients
Yield: 8 to 10
For the Dressing
 3tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
  1garlic clove, finely grated or minced
 1teaspoon dried oregano
 Salt and freshly ground black pepper
 ⅓cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
For the Pasta
 1pound short-cut pasta, such as farfalle
 1pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
 8ounces mozzarella, cubed (or use small mozzarella balls)
 4ounces sliced salami, cut into ¼-inch ribbons
 ¾cup sliced Kalamata olives
 ½cup thinly sliced cucumber
 3tablespoons diced red onion
 1cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley and basil leaves

Pasta Salad With Roasted Eggplant, Chile

and Mint
By Melissa Clark
4:05

4:05Pasta With Roasted Eggplant

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Time
45 minutes
Rating
5(796)
Notes
Read 114 community notes
This is a pasta salad, but it is not the mayonnaise-slicked, droopy-noodle kind found
on salad bars. To bring out the soft meatiness of the eggplant, roast cubes of it until
they collapse into a caramelized heap, and toss them with chopped raw tomatoes and a
handful of salty capers. Then dress the vegetables and pasta in the pungent, spicy oil,
which is rich with anchovies, browned garlic and chiles, a strong contrast to the
sweetness of the tomatoes and eggplant.

Featured in: A Pasta Salad That Keeps Its Cool



Ingredients
Yield: 2 servings
o 1and ½ pounds eggplant (about 4 medium), cut into 1-inch cubes
o 5tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
o ½teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
 o ¼teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
o 1very large ripe tomato, cored and diced (1 and ½ cups)
o ½pound dried penne
o 3garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
o 3anchovy fillets
o Large pinch chile flakes
o 2tablespoons drained capers
o Freshly squeezed lemon juice
o ¼cup torn basil leaves
o 2tablespoons torn mint leaves
o 2tablespoons finely chopped chives
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Nutritional Information
Preparation

o Step 1

Heat oven to 400 degrees. On rimmed baking sheet, toss together

eggplant, 3 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon
pepper. Spread into one layer. Roast, tossing occasionally, until the
eggplant is golden brown, about 25 minutes.
o Step 2

Place tomato in large bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt.

o Step 3

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne to al dente

according to package instructions; drain well.
o Step 4

While pasta cooks, heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2
tablespoons oil. Stir in garlic, anchovies and chile flakes, and cook until
golden and soft, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat and, using slotted
spoon, transfer garlic to cutting board. Let garlic cool for a few minutes,
then chop up and add back to the oil. Pour garlic-chile into bowl with
tomatoes. Add eggplant and capers, and toss well.
o Step 5
 Add pasta to bowl with eggplant and tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper
and lemon juice to taste, and drizzle generously with oil. Toss in herbs
and serve warm or at room temperature.

Chicken Salad With Corn, Quinoa and

Yogurt Dressing
By Ali Slagle

David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Time
45 minutes 
Rating
(0)
Notes
Read community notes
While traditional chicken salad is rich with tender meat and mayonnaise, this one
embraces pops of texture and color. Combining quinoa and corn, two staples in Inca,
Aymara and Quechua cooking, is a great balancing act of earthy and sweet. For this
salad’s dressing, mashing onion and chile together with salt (like in guacamole)
releases their assertive juices into a tangy blend of Greek yogurt and lime. Since this is
a room temperature salad, you can make the chicken and quinoa and reserve them up
to a few days ahead, or let the whole salad meld for up to 3 days in the fridge. Eat the
dish on its own, over romaine or Little Gem leaves, or with more pops, such as pepitas,
mint, radishes, jicama, Cotija or Parmesan. 
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Ingredients
Yield: 6 to 8 servings (8 cups)
o 1½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
o 4ears of corn, kernels removed, cobs reserved
o 1large red or white onion, halved
o 1jalapeño, halved
o Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
o 1lime, zested and juiced
o 1cup quinoa (preferably tricolor)
o ¼cup full-fat Greek yogurt
o Romaine or Little Gem lettuce (optional), for serving
o Any combination of pepitas, mint, radishes, jicama, Cotija or Parmesan to
garnish (optional)
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Preparation

o Step 1

In a large pot, combine the chicken breasts, corn cobs, ½ onion and ½
jalapeño. Cover with about 1 inch of water and season generously with
salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then reduce heat to low,
cover, and cook until the chicken is just cooked through (do not
overcook!), 7 to 10 minutes. Skim most of the foam off the water;
transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool. Discard the corn
cobs, onion and jalapeño; leave the water in the pot.
o Step 2

While the chicken cooks, coarsely chop the remaining ½ onion and ½
jalapeño together. Sprinkle with salt, then chop and smash using the
side of your knife until a juicy, coarse paste forms. (You can also do this
 with a mortar and pestle.) Transfer to a large bowl, along with the lime
zest and juice.
o Step 3

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred it.
o Step 4

To the reserved water in the pot, add the quinoa, bring to a boil, and
cook according to package instructions until the quinoa grows white
tails and is tender but not mushy. Drain the quinoa, run it under cold
water until cool to the touch, then shake it very dry.
o Step 5

Add the quinoa, corn kernels, chicken and yogurt to the large bowl and
stir to combine; season to taste with salt. Serve over lettuce leaves, if
desired, and top with any garnishes, if using. The chicken-quinoa
mixture keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature
and adjust seasonings with salt and lime juice as needed, as flavors will
shift from the chill of the fridge.

Chicken Salad With Skordalia

By Mark Bittman
3:19Chicken Salad With Skordalia
Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(31)
Notes
Read 4 community notes

My approach to chicken salad was changed when I traveled to the Middle East and had
a chicken salad bound with a distinctive "mayonnaise" that turned out to be a version
of skordalia, the Greek dip. Like mayonnaise, skordalia will bind any cold minced meat
or fish (and make a good sauce served with hot ones), but, unlike mayonnaise, it
contains no egg. The binding "glue" is bread soaked in milk.

There are other differences between common mayonnaise and skordalia. The Greek
dip is more intensely flavorful -- atop the garlic I like it with a sound dose of strong
paprika or mild chili powder and a handful of cilantro leaves -- and it cannot be bought
in a jar. Fortunately, assembling a batch takes about five minutes in a food processor.
With it, leftover chicken is almost essential, though of course you can cook some
especially for the salad.
Featured in: THE MINIMALIST ENTERTAINS; Cool, When It Sizzles, And a Breeze to
Make

Ingredients
Yield: 4 servings
o 2ounces French or Italian bread
o 1cup milk or stock
o 4ounces peeled walnuts, about 1 cup
o 1small clove garlic, peeled
o Salt and pepper to taste
o ¼cup extra virgin olive oil
o Chili powder or paprika to taste
o 2 to 3cups shredded cooked chicken
o 1cup chopped cilantro leaves
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Preparation

o Step 1

Soak bread in milk or stock. Put walnuts, garlic and salt in processor.
Pulse to grind coarsely. Squeeze most of the liquid from bread; reserve
liquid. Add bread to container, along with oil. Process until combined.
Add reserved milk or stock until mixture has the consistency of
mayonnaise. Add pepper, along with chili powder or paprika. Bind
chicken with sauce. Stir in ⅔ cup cilantro. Garnish with rest.