Grilled Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Total time: 45 min
Serves: 8
Traditional pasta salad gets a fresh update in this recipe that is perfect for any day of the week. This is a refresh features delicious twists of campanelle pasta, tangy balsamic dressing, crispy cubes of halloumi, grilled vegetables, and fragrant fresh oregano.
The recipe calls for zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion, but a wide variety of grilled vegetables would do. Throw in chopped, peak-of-summer tomatoes, grilled eggplant, or mushrooms to mix it up. This Mediterranean salad is a light dish, but if you're looking to add more, add your favorite protein to go along with it.
This recipe contains balsamic vinegar which we commonly use in Chinese dietary therapy! According to Chinese medicine, vinegar is bitter, sour and warm. The Nei Jing, one of our famous classical texts, states that when bitter and sour come together, the collective function is to drain. Taken as a whole — vinegar warms and drains. This explains most of its functions in Chinese medicine and food therapy.
Vinegar is warming. It creates a temporary warming circulation of energy (qi) in the body, and removes stagnant blood. It can quickly alter emotional stagnation as well, especially in children— bad moods will usually disappear a few moments after taking or eating something with high quality vinegar.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound uncooked campanelle pasta
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¾ cup olive oil, divided, plus more for grill grates
2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more for water
2 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut into ¼-in. planks
2 red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, cored, and seeded
1 red onion, cut into ½-in. wedges
8 ounces Halloumi cheese, cut into ½-in. slabs
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped, plus more for serving
1 cup chopped roasted almonds, divided
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water and drain again. Transfer to a large bowl.
While pasta cooks, whisk vinegar, ½ cup oil, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
Preheat grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F) and lightly oil grates (or heat an oiled grill pan over high). Toss zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and 3 tablespoons oil in a bowl. Brush cheese with remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a separate bowl.
Grill vegetables, uncovered, flipping once, until tender and browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl. Add ¼ cup vinaigrette and ½ teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, grill cheese, uncovered, flipping once, until grill marks appear, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add oregano, remaining vinaigrette, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt to pasta; stir to combine.
Chop zucchini, bell peppers, and cheese into rough 1½-inch squares; add to pasta mixture.
Stir onion, any remaining dressing in vegetable bowl, and ¾ cup almonds into pasta mixture.
Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup almonds and top with oregano.
NOTES
When grilling the Halloumi, use tongs to slowly raise one corner of the cheese to check for sticking. If it doesn’t lift off easily, lower it down for about 10 seconds, then try again.
photo and recipe credits to Real Simple
