Summer vacation is the perfect occasion to enjoy time with your loved ones, bask in the sun and eat delicious food.

In the heat of summer, here are some recipes and tips from Barilla for making a refreshing pasta salad, perfect for any occasion and easy for the whole family to enjoy. Delight in these tasty and colorful summer dishes that will be the highlight of your next picnic or barbecue.

Mason Jar Pasta Salad Inspired by Mexican Cuisine (above)

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 4 min
Cook Time: 1 min

Ingredients

1 pouch Barilla Ready Pasta Elbows

½ can black beans, drained

2 ripe plum tomatoes, diced

1 avocado

1 lime

½ cup cotija cheese, shredded

½ cup tortilla chips, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons avocado oil (or extra virgin olive oil)

Directions

1. Dice the tomatoes. Slice avocado and add lime juice.

1. Knead the Barilla Ready Pasta Elbows pouch, tear corner to vent, heat in microwave for 60 seconds. Allow pasta to cool.
2. In Mason Jar, layer black beans, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, pasta, cheese and chopped tortilla chips.
3. Add avocado oil. Enjoy now or save for later!

Barilla Tri-Color Rotini Summer Pasta Salad

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 15 min

Ingredients

1 box of Barilla Tri-Color Rotini

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons of Barilla Traditional Basil Pesto

2 tablespoons of garlic parmesan vinaigrette

1 7-oz package of Italian dry salami, small, diced

3 cups of romaine lettuce, shredded

1 bunch of green onion, sliced thin

3 plum tomatoes, diced

1 8-oz package of fresh mozzarella drained

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the directions but drain one minute short of required cooking time.
2. Toss the pasta with olive oil and place on a sheet tray to cool down.
3. Once the pasta is cool, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and gently toss to combine.
4. Let the salad rest for approximately 30 minutes so all the flavors can combine.

Tips for Making Pasta Salad from Barilla’s Executive Chef, Lorenzo Boni

• Cook the pasta one minute less than indicated in the package instructions because pasta keeps cooking while it cools down. Then, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and let it cool down on a sheet pan. Never rinse it because you want to preserve the flavor and the natural golden color of the pasta. After it has cooled down, combine it with the remaining ingredients at least half an hour before serving in order to allow the flavors to thoroughly combine.
• As far as specific shapes, I recommend short cuts such as farfalle, rotini, elbows and penne. Tricolor pastas are also great because they add to the visual appeal of the dish.
• Pasta salad stores well for about one day in the fridge, but it’s always best to make it the day you plan to serve it. Ideally, you should aim to make it about two hours in advance and then store it in the fridge in an airtight container.
• If refrigerated, pull it out of the fridge about a half hour before serving to give it time to warm up a little. When pasta salad is too cold, only some of its flavor will come through.
• Adding a bit of acidity by using citrus or vinegars is an easy and effective way to make pasta salad even more appetizing.
• For a healthy swap, use avocado instead of mayo as binding ingredient.
• For a better aromatic profile, add freshly chopped herbs just before serving.
• If you’re using onions in your pasta salad, sauté them in olive oil on the side beforehand. Raw onions tend to overpower the flavors of every other ingredient.
• For some added crunchy texture and extra nutrients, add raw vegetables. You can also add some toasted nuts for better texture and extra protein.
• Use sea salt for better, more natural flavor.