This pasta salad with Italian dressing comes together with fusilli, two colours of capsicum, corn, lettuce and a blended homemade dressing made from scratch. The dressing combines white vinegar, lime juice, mustard powder and dry oregano blended with onion and garlic into a smooth, creamy coating. A small spoon of mayonnaise goes directly into the warm drained pasta before the vegetables are added, helping the dressing cling evenly once the salad is tossed. The whole dish benefits from time in the fridge, so it is a good candidate for preparing a few hours ahead.
About the Recipe
The dressing is the working part of this recipe. Blending the onion, garlic, lime juice, white vinegar, chilli powder, mustard powder, black pepper, salt and dry oregano in a mixie gives a smooth, pourable consistency that coats the pasta well.
Tossing the mayonnaise into the pasta while it is still warm and freshly drained helps it absorb before the dressing goes in. The capsicums are stripped of their inner pith and seeds before chopping, and the lettuce is torn rather than cut to keep it from bruising at the edges.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
The homemade Italian dressing is the main reason to make this rather than reaching for a bottle. Blending fresh onion, pounded garlic, lime juice, white vinegar and dry oregano together produces a dressing with noticeably more body and brightness than a ready-made version.
Because the dressing uses pantry staples and a handful of fresh ingredients, you can adjust the sharpness or heat to your preference before it goes into the fridge. The salad holds well once chilled, so it can be made in advance and served straight from the fridge without any last-minute work.
Cooking Tips
The most common mistake is adding the dressing to hot pasta, which wilts the lettuce and softens the capsicums. Let the pasta cool completely before pouring the dressing in.
Cook the pasta in well-salted water with a teaspoon of oil so it does not clump after draining. Drain it thoroughly before adding the mayonnaise, as any standing water will thin the dressing.
Blend the dressing until genuinely smooth so the mustard powder and oregano are fully incorporated rather than sitting in pockets.
Top Tips
- Cook the fusilli in 8 cups of boiling salted water with 1 tsp of oil and test it at 7 minutes. It should feel soft but still have a slight firmness when pressed.
- Drain the pasta well and shake the colander a few times before mixing in the mayonnaise. Excess water dilutes the dressing.
- Blend the Italian dressing until it looks creamy and uniform. If it still looks grainy, blend for another 30 seconds.
- Add the dressing only after the pasta has cooled completely. Warm pasta will make the lettuce go limp.
- Taste the dressing before it goes into the fridge and adjust salt, pepper or lime juice at that stage rather than after tossing.
- If using canned corn, drain it thoroughly and pat it dry so it does not add extra liquid to the salad.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
Serve the salad cold, straight from the fridge. It works well as a side dish alongside grilled items or as a standalone light lunch.
Once assembled and dressed, keep it covered in the fridge and use it within one day. The lettuce softens noticeably after 24 hours, so if you are preparing ahead, add the torn lettuce just before serving.
Do not leave the salad at room temperature for more than 30 minutes, particularly in warm weather, given the mayonnaise in the dressing.
Similar Recipes
- Italian Salad
- Rare Roast Beef Pasta Salad
- Pasta with Pesto Sauce
- Charred Bell Pepper Salad
- Julienne Vegetable Salad
Nutrient Benefits
Capsicums are a good source of vitamin C, and using both red and green varieties adds a range of colour and nutrients to the salad. Corn provides fibre and a small amount of B vitamins. Lettuce contributes water content and folate. The salad is relatively low in saturated fat given the minimal use of mayonnaise.
Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup Fusilli Pasta
- 1 tsp Mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup (if using canned corns, drain water) Corn Kernels
- 1 , large Green Capsicum
- 1 , large Red Capsicum
- 5 Lettuce Leaves
- For the Italian Dressing:
- 1 , chopped Small Onion
- 1 tblsp Lime Juice
- 2 tblsp White Vinegar
- 3 , pounded Garlic Flakes
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp, freshly ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
- 3/4 tsp Mustard Powder
- 2 tsp Dry Oregano
Instructions
- Cook the pasta.
- Mix all the ingredients for the dressing and blend them in a mixie until creamy.
- Transfer the dressing to a bowl and place it in the fridge.
- After the water has drained from the pasta, mix the mayonnaise into it.
- Add the corn to the pasta.
- Cut all the capsicums into half.
- Remove and discard the inner pith and seeds.
- Chop the capsicums into small pieces.
- Add them to the pasta.
- Tear the lettuce leaves into strips and add it to the pasta.
- When the pasta is cool, pour in the dressing.
- Toss well to ensure that the vegetables and pasta are well coated with the dressing.
- Adjust the seasoning.
- Keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.
- To Cook the Pasta:
- You need
- to cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water to which 1 tsp of
- oil is added. To cook 2 cups of pasta use 8 cups of water. Boil the
- water with 1 tsp of oil and 1 tspf of salt. After 7-8 minutes, the pasta
- should be cooked when it feels soft, yet firm to the touch.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different pasta shape instead of fusilli?
Yes. Short pasta shapes with ridges or curves, such as penne, rotini or farfalle, work well because they hold the dressing in their grooves. Avoid long pasta like spaghetti as it does not toss evenly with chunky vegetables and tends to clump when chilled.
Why does the recipe ask for mayonnaise to be mixed into the pasta before the dressing?
Mixing a small amount of mayonnaise into the warm, freshly drained pasta gives the surface of each piece a light coating. This helps the Italian dressing cling to the pasta rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl when the salad is tossed.
Can the Italian dressing be made a day in advance?
Yes, and it actually improves with a few hours of resting in the fridge as the garlic, oregano and mustard have time to settle together. Store it in a sealed jar or covered bowl and give it a quick stir before using, as some separation may occur.
The dressing tastes too sharp. How do I balance it?
The sharpness comes from the white vinegar and lime juice. If it is too strong for your preference, reduce the white vinegar slightly or add a small pinch of sugar to the blender when making the dressing. Taste and adjust before refrigerating, as it is easier to correct at that stage than after the salad has been tossed.
How do I stop the pasta from sticking together after draining?
Adding 1 tsp of oil to the boiling water before cooking helps reduce sticking. After draining, spread the pasta out briefly or toss it gently. Mixing the mayonnaise in while the pasta is still warm also coats each piece and prevents clumping as it cools.
