Pasta salad, known in Italian as or , is a dish prepared with one or more types of

pasta Pasta (, ; ) is a type of food typically made from an Leavening agent, unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or Eggs as food, eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Pasta was originally on ...

, almost always chilled or

room temperature Room temperature, colloquially, denotes the range of air temperatures most people find comfortable indoors while dressed in typical clothing. Comfortable temperatures can be extended beyond this range depending on humidity, air circulation, and ...

, and most often tossed in a

vinegar Vinegar () is an aqueous solution of diluted acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains from 5% to 18% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting ...

oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) and lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturate ...

mayonnaise Mayonnaise (), colloquially referred to as "mayo" (), is a thick, creamy sauce with a rich and tangy taste that is commonly used on sandwiches, hamburgers, Salad#Bound salads, bound salads, and French fries. It also forms the base for various o ...

-based dressing. It is typically served as an

appetiser An hors d'oeuvre ( ; ), appetiser, appetizer or starter is a small dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the meal, or th ...

(

antipasto An antipasto (From anti- (“prior to, before”) + pasto (“meal”); : antipasti) is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. Usually made of bite-size small portions and presented on a platter from which everyone serves them ...

) or first course ().

Origin

There are various theories about the origin of pasta salad.

Claudia Roden Claudia Roden (née Douek; born 1936) is an Egyptian-born British cookbook writer and cultural anthropologist of Sephardi/ Mizrahi descent. She is best known as the author of Middle Eastern cookbooks including ''A Book of Middle Eastern Food'' ...

claims that

Italian Jews Italian Jews (; ) or Roman Jews (; ) can be used in a broad sense to mean all Jews living in or with roots in Italy, or, in a narrower sense, to mean the Italkim, an ancient community living in Italy since the Ancient Roman era, who use the It ...

prepared it centuries before other Italians because Jewish law prohibits cooking on the sabbath.

Ingredients

The ingredients used vary widely by region, restaurant, seasonal availability, and personal preferences. The dish can be as simple as cold macaroni mixed with

(

macaroni salad Macaroni salad is a type of pasta salad also referred to as "mac salad", served cold, made with cooked elbow macaroni and usually prepared with mayonnaise. Much like potato salad or coleslaw in its use, it is often served as a side dish to barbec ...

), or as elaborate as several pastas tossed together with a

vinaigrette Vinaigrette ( , ) is made by mixing an edible oil with a mild acid such as vinegar (acetic acid) or lemon juice ( citric acid). The mixture can be enhanced with salt, herbs and/or spices. It is used most commonly as a salad dressing, but can ...

and a variety of fresh, preserved or cooked ingredients. These can include vegetables,

legume Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consum ...

s, cheeses, nuts, herbs, spices, meats, poultry or seafood.

Gallery

File:Pasta salad (2).jpg, Pasta salad prepared with

fusilli Fusilli () are a variety of pasta from southern Italy, with a Helix, helical (corkscrew) or Helicoid, helicoidal shape. Etymology ''wikt:fusillo, Fusillo'', the singular form of ''fusilli'', means 'little spindle' in Italian language, Italian. F ...

File:Pasta salad with cherry tomatoes.jpg, Pasta salad with cherry tomatoes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pasta Salad Italian cuisine

Origin

Ingredients

Gallery

See also

References