Simple Cold Pasta
Quick & Easy Cold Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes (Perfect for Picnic Lunchboxes!)
As the weather heats up, I decided to make a refreshing cold pasta using fresh tomatoes from my fridge. It’s made with a homemade tomato sauce and short pasta, so it doesn’t get soggy, making it ideal for picnic lunchboxes. When serving at home, you can beautifully arrange it like a cobb salad. For lunchboxes, you can mix everything with the sauce beforehand. This cold pasta is best enjoyed chilled from the refrigerator.
Main Ingredients
- Short pasta 160g (choose your favorite shape like penne or fusilli)
- 2 fresh tomatoes (medium-sized)
- 1/2 green bell pepper
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 4 Tbsp canned corn (drained)
- 4 black olives
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 1/3 Tbsp sugar (adjust to your sweetness preference)
- 2 pinches salt (add more to taste)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare all your ingredients meticulously. Washing and chopping everything thoroughly ensures a delicious and safe meal.
Step 2
In a large pot, bring 1 liter of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of oil to the water. Boiling pasta in salted, oiled water helps prevent sticking and enhances flavor.
Step 3
Once the water is boiling, add the short pasta and cook for about 1 minute less than the package instructions suggest, typically around 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water. Rinsing cools the pasta quickly and removes excess starch, resulting in a firmer texture. After rinsing, drizzle about 5 swirls of olive oil or any vegetable oil over the pasta and toss to coat. This oil coating prevents the pasta from sticking together or becoming mushy.
Step 4
Make a cross-shaped incision on the stem end of the fresh tomatoes. Blanch them in boiling water for a moment. You’ll know they’re ready when the skin starts to peel or lift. Be careful not to overcook them, as they can become too soft.
Step 5
Transfer the blanched tomatoes to a bowl of cold water for a quick dip, then carefully peel off the skin. Peeling the tomatoes will create a smoother texture for the sauce.
Step 6
Finely dice the peeled tomatoes or cut them into small cubes. Chop the green, yellow, and red bell peppers into bite-sized pieces, about the size of your thumbnail. Using a variety of colored peppers makes the pasta visually appealing. If using whole olives with pits, remove the pits and chop them; otherwise, use pitted olives as they are or slice them.
Step 7
Lightly oil a pan and sauté the minced garlic over medium-low heat until fragrant. Once the garlic turns golden, add the diced tomatoes and ketchup, and cook together. This will build a rich flavor for your homemade tomato sauce. *Tip: If you have spaghetti seasoning, you can add about half a tablespoon for an enhanced flavor profile. (This is not listed in the main ingredients, so feel free to add it based on your preference.)*
Step 8
As the tomatoes break down and the sauce thickens to a consistency similar to store-bought tomato sauce, add sugar to balance the acidity. Adjust the amount of sugar based on the sweetness of your tomatoes and your personal taste. Taste and add more sugar if needed.
Step 9
Finally, season the sauce with salt. Start with about 2 pinches, taste, and add more salt gradually until you reach your desired level of seasoning. Let the sauce cool slightly after turning off the heat.
Step 10
To serve, arrange the cooked pasta in a bowl and artfully place the colorful bell peppers, corn, and olives on top, resembling a cobb salad for a beautiful presentation of cold pasta! Alternatively, you can combine the pasta, prepared vegetables, corn, and olives in a bowl, add the cooled tomato sauce, and toss everything together for a simple and delicious cold pasta dish. Enjoy it chilled!
