One thing I love about the warmer months is Salads!  We are no longer craving the hearty sustenance that we craved all winter but are longing for lighter, fresher flavors and ways to really incorporate as much of the fresh produce available at this time of year as we can! 

I am a person who enjoys salads any time of year, but in the summer months we can get a bit more inventive with them, and pasta salads are a wonderful way to do that. A tiny bit heartier than a bit of lettuce and cucumber they go really well with all of our BBQ's, Picnics, Pot Lucks and outdoor eating!

Today I am sharing some of my absolute favorite pasta salads, each one designed to bring some flavor and flair to all of your warm weather meals! Quick, easy and yes, delicious!

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to read all of my hints and tips for making this the best pasta salad season ever!

TURKEY, SOUR CHERRY, & ALMOND PASTA SALAD - This is a lovely main dish salad. I like to use farfalle (bowtie)pasta for this, whole wheat if I can get it It has  the perfect shape to use in a pasta salad. Nice and open, but with a few little pleats to hold in the dressing.  

And the dressing for this salad is delicious.  A homemade poppy seed dressing that is lovely and tangy from fresh lemon juice, with a bit of punch from Dijon mustard and sweetness from creamy honey. 

The salad itself boasts the inclusion of cubed cooked turkey breast.  You could also use chicken if you don't have any turkey.  Also in the mix are dried sour cherries for a bit of sweet tartness, sharp red onions, crunchy celery and salted almonds . . .  and creamy tangy Gorgonzola cheese.

ITALIAN PASTA SALAD - This fabulous salad is a small batch salad designed to feed only two people, but can be very easily multiplied to feed more!  Italian Pasta Salad is actually a pretty versatile salad. Basically you can add any Italian style ingredients you wish.  I used a hard Italian Salami in this version, but you could also use bite sized bits of pepperoni!

Bocconcini,  fresh peppers, basil, parsley, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, artichokes, salami and a punchy Italian dressing complete the picture. You will want to use a nice corkscrew type of pasta that helps to hug in all of that tasty dressing! 

BACON & TOMATO PASTA SALAD  -  All the flavors of your favorite toasted sandwich in a delicious salad!  With fresh cherry tomatoes, crisp bacon, spring onions and celery.

Mix that with some fusilli and a punchy creamy dressing and you have a salad combination that goes with just about anything! 

GREEK PASTA SALAD - This delicious salad embodies all of the elements of a good Greek Salad with fresh crisp cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, red onions, kalamata olives, plenty of parsley and a delicious red wine herbed dressing.  

Oh, and pasta twists, which while not exactly traditional, make this a fabulously tasty and hearty salad! Don't have pasta twists?  Use any other pasta that will work to hug all of that fabulous red wine herby dressing and hold it close!! 

I love to use Farfalle for this one. Add some cubed cooked meat or cheese and you can easily turn this fabulous salad into a delicious main dish salad!

 

PASTA SALAD WITH ROASTED ASPARAGUS & TOMATOES - This is a beautiful salad which I like to make each year which showcases this lovely vegetable beautifully.   I quite simply adore roasted asparagus, and it shines in this simple and quick salad, which also contains roasted cherry tomatoes, and al dente farfalle pasta.  

I make a simple dressing for it by mixing some lemon mayonnaise, ranch dressing and a bit of  fresh basil pesto.  Tossed together and garnished with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese you would be hard pressed to find a tastier salad! 

CREAMY MACARONI SALAD - this simple salad which dresses up well with a bit of crunch and colour, which you get from the liberal use of fresh vegetables here . . . celery, carrots, radishes, onion and peppers . . . 

The dressing for this tasty salad is not overly mayonnaise-y . . . it's lightened a bit with the use of salad cream, and some fresh and tangy lemon juice, with just a hint of sugar to counteract the tartness of the lemon so that it doesn't smack you in the face and make your jaws ache. 

 

BUFFALO CHICKEN PASTA SALAD - This really is an excellent chicken salad.   It does pack a bit of a punch.  I only add the smaller amount of hot pepper sauce.  (I used Chiloula)  It is plenty hot with that, but if you are a lover of really hot and spicy, do add more!

In addition there is plenty of crunch from the use of celery & carrot and some sharpness from chopped spring onions. An added creaminess comes from a hint of blue cheese. This is a great way to showcase leftover cooked chicken in a most delicious way! 

 

PASTA SALAD PRIMAVERA - An old weight watchers favorite salad with plenty of fresh vegetables . . .  cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and red onions  . . . chopped fresh basil.  

There are as many vegetables in this tasty salad as there is pasta but you won't miss it. Its fabulously tasty with a beautiful punchy homemade Italian dressing and Parmesan cheese!

MACARONI COLESLAW - A delicious mash-up of two summer classics, this Macaroni Coleslaw is loaded with plenty of texture and great flavors!

Not to mention crunch!  I do love crunch in a salad, don't you?  I also love color!  This tasty combination can be as colorful as you like, depending on the coleslaw mix that you use.  

FIVE RULES TO FOLLOW WHEN MAKING PASTA SALADS

1. Always make sure to use the right type of pasta shape for your particular salad. This depends on the dressing you are using. A vinaigrette dressing is suited to almost any shape, but if you are using a creamy dressing you will want to use a pasta which will hug onto and hold the dressing. 

2. Take care not to over cook the pasta, or under cook the pasta.  Remember your pasta will absorb some of the dressing and soften a bit upon standing, so you want your pasta to be cooked just to al dente.  Crunchy under-cooked pasta is never good any time.  Follow the  directions included on your package of pasta to get it right! 

3. Make sure you season your pasta right, which means cooking it in salted boiling water, and then tasting it when its done. If you think it needs a bit more salt or pepper then add it. Just be careful not to add too much. You cannot remove what is already done.

4. Unless otherwise directed do not dress your pasta salads while the pasta is still warm.  Warm pasta will soak up all of your dressing and leave you with a dry pasta salad. You can add half of the dressing while it is still warm, but hold off on adding the remainder until the salad is completely cold.

5.  Take care not to make your salad too far in advance or you will end up with a bowl of soggy pasta. Making it on the day you are actually going to serve it is a great rule of thumb to follow.

If you follow these five rules there is no reason why your pasta salads can not all be delicious and popular at any gathering!

One final rule, less is more!  Don't be tempted to go overboard with either the dressing or the add ins!

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There will also be gravy and an assortment of cooked vegetables on the side and any number of condiments such as Horseradish Sauce, hot English Mustard or Apple Sauce.  Popular vegetables are cabbage, brussels sprouts, carrots, swede (rutabaga) and peas! 

Number Two would have to be FISH AND CHIPS.  This delicious dish has been a popular meal with the British since the 19th century.  Known as a street food, even small Hamlets can boast of having their own fish and chips shop and it would not be a trip to the seaside without enjoying  a feast of fish and chips, wrapped in white paper as you sit on a bench watching the waves and beating off the sea gulls. (They love fish and chips as well.) 

The fish, which usually Cod, Haddock or Plaice is dipped in a delicious batter and deep fried. Chips are almost always hand cut and twice fried.  You will always be asked if you want salt and vinegar on them and they will lavish them with salt and malt vinegar if the answer is yes.   This is the ultimate finger food!  When enjoyed in a sit down restaurant you will often have them served with some mushy peas and or coleslaw. 

Simple, yes, but proof positive that sometimes simple can be very, very good.  You can use oven chips if you wish, but once in a while it doesn't hurt to have a real chip. (In the UK French fries are called Chips.)

Number Four, CLASSIC SHEPHERD'S PIE - The UK is famous for all of their pies, steak and kidney, chicken and mushroom, pork pies, etc. but one of the absolute most comforting of pies is this classic.   And its not really even a pie!

This is the perfect family meal and is very easy to make with a rich ground lamb and gravy filling topped with vegetables and a layer of fluffy mashed potatoes. You can top the potatoes with grated cheese if you wish.  It is cousin to the also very popular COTTAGE PIE which is made with ground beef.

Both are equally popular and incredibly satisfying. You can also use leftover cooked beef or lamb in the fillings, which is how they were originally planned to be used, as a vehicle for the leftovers from Sunday dinner.

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK  is another bonus meal created from the leftovers of Sunday lunch!  Traditionally it is a hash made with leftover gravy, potatoes, cabbage, and onions, as well as brussels sprouts during sprout season, but really . . .

You can use whatever combination of cooked vegetables you have to hand . . . carrots, peas, parsnips, beans, swede . . . it doesn't really matter . . .

The name comes from the way it bubbles and squeaks in the pan as it is cooking.

This is usually cooked in a heavy pottery dish, very slowly over low heat. It is plain and simple hearty fare, which is delicious. You will often see it eaten with pickled red cabbage or beetroot.  There are also very similar stews that are regional such Scouse (Liverpool) and Irish Stew from Ireland.

Number six - BANGERS AND MASH - This is so popular that even songs have been written about it. Banger is a term lovingly used to describe sausages and is a term which began during World War ll.  This was attributed to the sound that sausages might make when cooked under high heat, a pop and a sizzle. 

You will find this tasty dish on offer at most pubs and restaurants in the country.  What you get here is a delicious snappy skinned thick pork sausage grilled to perfection and served with a fluffy pile of mashed potatoes and plenty of onion gravy! 

Number Seven - TOAD IN THE HOLE -  This tasty dish combines grilled sausages and Yorkshire pudding batter.  The sausages are partially cooked in a dish and once the fat has been released a pudding batter is poured around them and they are baked until the batter is all puffed and golden brown and the sausages are cooked through,

This is a favorite of one and all and delicious served with Bisto gravy and fluffy mash.  The origin of the name 'Toad-in-the-Hole' is quite vague. Most suggestions are that the dish's resemblance to a toad sticking its little head out of a hole provide the dish with its somewhat unusual name. 

 

Number eight - CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA - The British love their curries and Chicken Tikka Masala is a real favorite. Chicken tikka masala is a dish of pan roasted chunks of chicken in a spicy sauce. The sauce is usually creamy, spiced and orange-coloured, from the tomatoes that are in the dish. 

It was almost certainly invented in Britain and is among the country's most popular dishes, leading a government minister, Robin Cook, to claim in 2001 that it was a British national dish.

When I went to Culinary school in the UK Chicken Tikka Masala was one of the first dishes we were taught to make.  

Number 9 - APPLE CRUMBLE - So popular you could almost call it the National dessert. Usually served warm with cold cream for pouring  over top, or warm custard sauce.  

When it comes to an apple dessert you can't get much better than an apple crumble. I like the ones with the Oats in the crumble most of all.  You can find my recipe for the custard here.  This custard is also awfully good served with stewed rhubarb, another British favorite!

Number ten - THE CREAM TEA - You will find "Cream Teas" on offer throughout the UK, but they are truly a speciality of the SouthWest . . . Devon and Cornwall areas. I have seen Welsh Cream Teas as well as Cream Teas being offered in many other areas of the UK. In general nowadays, they are offered in Tearooms EVERYWHERE across the UK wherever someone wants to give an impression of British influence.

Not to be confused with high tea which is more like a meal, Cream teas are meant as a light lunch or snack and usually consist of CLASSIC SCONES, served with jam and clotted cream (a true British delicacy) and hot pots of tea.

This is by no means a complete list, but only the tip of a very delicious iceberg. I came to love many different dishes when I lived in the UK. Every region has their own specialty and all of them are endearingly delicious.  These are just a few of the things which wangled their way into my foodie heart!!

There is Sticky Toffee Pudding and Banoffee Pie for instance, but I had to draw the line somewhere. If you ever are lucky enough to travel in the UK these are some of the more traditional culinary delights which await you!   Bon Appetit!