I am not at all fond of pasta salads that are loaded with oily dressing, or the dreadful mayo to weigh things down even further. I like a salad that leaves me feeling refreshed and light. Ditalini is a shape normally used in soups, but I thought it would work well in this type of recipe. It has slightly more body than orzo, and is not as “slippery” . Rather than a strict recipe, this is all about flexible amounts, so play with it, and make it shine!
DITALINI PASTA SALAD
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)
Ditalini pasta, cooked all dente and rinsed in cold water
1/4 cup grape seed oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbs lemon juice
Dried oregano to taste
Dried mint to taste
Red pepper flakes, a pinch or two
Cherry tomatoes, red and yellow
Green onions, sliced thin
Salt and pepper to taste
Place the cooked and cooled ditalini pasta on a large bowl.
Make the vinaigrette by mixing and whisking well the grape seed oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, mint, and red pepper flakes.
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Add the vinaigrette to the pasta and mix well. Incorporate the cherry tomatoes, add the green onions, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep cold… and….
ENJOY!
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to print the recipe, click here
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Comments: Feel free to use fresh mint instead of dried, as well as fresh oregano, although I find fresh oregano too overpowering and always use dried instead. I kicked myself for not thinking about adding capers, so keep that in mind, this salad begs for a handful of those. We like our vinaigrette to be more about the vinegar than the oil. We also prefer the milder taste of grape seed compared to olive oil, so grape seed was my choice. You should make it the way you prefer, more oil, olive oil, a little mustard, maybe some garlic. As you may have noticed, we are not garlic people. It is quite possible that if they sequence our genome, a few vampire genes might be found here and there. But, nothing to worry about, we are usually very well-behaved, your neck is safe with us. 😉
Are you familiar with Vincent Price’s cookbook? A classic, a real classic….
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ONE YEAR AGO: Celebrate Wednesday with a Thai Seafood Curry
TWO YEARS AGO: Post-workout Breakfast
THREE YEARS AGO: Semolina Barbecue Buns
FOUR YEARS AGO: Lavash Crackers
Bewitching Kitchen 
The salad looks very pretty with the different coloured tomatoes and green onions. I’m sure that the simple oil and vinegar dressing is a much tastier and lighter option to the heavy mayo based pasta salads.
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No mayo here. Mayo never enters our home, that’s one thing we both dislike with a passion… 😉 I can actually have it if I go some place and they smear a little in a sandwich or salad but Phil simply cannot stomach the stuff…
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Your salad looks beautiful. I am the same as you, I like a light salad that is not weighed down by dressing or too many ingredients. I love the way the ditalini looks, I’ve never used it before in salad!
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First time for me too – a fun pasta shape to play with…. of course, the season for soup is coming up. Unfortunately…… (sigh)
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I totally agree with you on your salad preferences…mayo is totally not my kind of thing. But this cute little pasta shape with these fresh flavors is!
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Never met a potato salad I liked – which means they have all been made with mayo – but, truth is I prefer potatoes prepared in other ways, to me no matter how you dress them, they are simply too heavy for a salad
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thanks for stopping by my blog for SRC reveal day!! This recipe looks delicous too, if we did not have pasta last night I think I would make this. GOing to pin for another night
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Thank you for stopping by! HOpe you had fun browsing the recipes from your Reveal Day!
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Vampire genes, heehee! That’s ok, I’ll put enough garlic in there for both of us ;-). I too prefer vinegar over oil, not so much for health reasons but mostly because I’m utterly addicted to the taste of vinegar. This is such a pretty Sally and fun too that you can run with it and make it your own. (Going to check my neck now ;-)).
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Actually the same goes for me, I prefer the bright acidic flavor of vinegar to come true…
(hope your neck is ok… I almost never lose control, but every once in a while, when the moon is full, and the night is warm… well, stuff can happen)
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I love those little pasta shapes. What a lovely light salad.
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Me too, I love small pasta shapes – there’s another one I want to play with, almost as small as a couscous, don’t remember the name now. Too cute…
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I have been sick…I so need a comforting dish like this one today! I love how simple and delicious this pasta salad is…
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Oh, you poor thing! Being sick is simply not fun… Maybe you should ask someone to cook you a bowl of chicken soup… it always makes me feel better…
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Light and healthy Sally, that’s just how a pasta salad should be! x
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Agreed! 🙂
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I like that you used grape seed oil. What a great idea! I love the flavors in this -especially the vinegar. And I’m sure you could guess that we’d add garlic. 😉
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Oh, I am sure you will add garlic! Phil and I are part of a minority… I actually didn’t use to mind garlic that much, but after years of almost not using it, a little bit in any food and it’s all I can taste – and smell….
but, go ahead, garlic it up! You will love this simple salad…
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I do like may but not on a salad like this one, Sally. If there are tomatoes, I want to taste oil and vinegar. Mayo just won’t do. I would be very happy to find this salad on the dinner table .. well … up until it became apparent that it was to be shared. Things could get ugly. 😉
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Sometimes sharing can be difficult… 😉
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I love ditalini, but for some reason it’s hard to find here. I’ll have to stock up the next time I find it on the shelves. This salad sounds fresh and lovely with lemon and herbs!
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It is not always on the shelf here either – so when I find it, I buy a few bags to be safe…
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I love my vinaigrette to be more about the vinegar than the oil too. I love the intensity of flavor.
My kids love pasta salads and I am always on the lookout for healthier salads options.
I love how colorful this one is
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Pingback: Delicious Ditalini Pasta Salad Recipes
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, celery, green onion, mustard, onion powder, salt and pepper.
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