Pasta salad, known in Italian as insalata di pasta or pasta fredda, is a salad dish prepared with one or more types of pasta, almost always chilled or room temperature, and most often tossed in a vinegar, oil, or mayonnaise-based dressing. It is typically served as an appetiser (antipasto) or first course (primo). Pasta salad is often regarded as a spring or summertime dish, but it can be served any time of year.

Origins

There are various theories about the origin of pasta salad. Claudia Roden claims that Italian Jews prepared it centuries before other Italians because Jewish law prohibits cooking on the sabbath. The type of pasta salad that uses macaroni dates to 1914 in an American recipe.

Ingredients

The ingredients used vary widely by region, restaurant, seasonal availability, and personal preferences. 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. These can include vegetables, legumes, cheeses, nuts, herbs, spices, meats, poultry, or seafood. 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.

In Australia and New Zealand

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.

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