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When Elaine received this Mahjong Pasta as a gift from her husband, we knew we were going to make a Mahjong Pasta Salad to share. The pasta is absolutely adorable with flowers, jokers, dragons, North winds, and bird bams. To stay on theme, we added cucumber bams, red pepper craks, and mozzarella pearl dots.
A riff on an Italian chopped salad, we’re including salami, cherry tomatoes, olives, and fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The Italian dressing is homemade with simple pantry ingredients but completely elevates and balances the dish with a tangy bite! For a lighter version of this salad, you can toss with romaine instead of pasta, but why would you want to do that?
Mahjong Pasta Salad
With cucumber bams, red pepper craks, and mozzarella pearl dots, this Mahjong Pasta Salad is the perfect side dish to share while you play! The mahjong pasta features flowers, jokers, dragons, North winds, and bird bams.
ingredients
14 oz Mahjong pasta (or your favorite short pasta)
Italian dressing, recipe below
3 Persian or mini cucumbers, halved and sliced into sticks
1 red bell pepper, sliced into sticks
12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
4 oz salami, halved and sliced
8 oz mozzarella cheese pearls
1 small can of sliced black olives
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
large handful of fresh basil, slivered
method
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to cool pasta down.
Step 2
Make Italian dressing (see recipe below) and prepare cucumbers, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, salami, and mozzarella.
Step 3
Pour cooled pasta into a large bowl. Top with cucumbers, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, salami, and mozzarella. Add basil and freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Step 4
Pour salad dressing on top and mix gently to combine. Chill in the fridge for about an hour before serving, if possible.
Italian Dressing
ingredients
1/2 cup cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, grated using a Microplane
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper, freshly cracked
method
Step 1
Combine ingredients in a measuring cup or jar with a lid. Whisk or shake until well combined.
serving tips
We recommend chilling the pasta in the fridge for about an hour before serving. Mix well from the bottom to redistribute the dressing. Salad will keep in the fridge in a covered dish for 3 – 5 days.
Recipe adapted from The Modern Proper.
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Mahjong Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 14 oz Mahjong pasta or your favorite short pasta
- Italian dressing recipe below
- 3 Persian or mini cucumbers halved and sliced into sticks
- 1 red bell pepper sliced into sticks
- 12 oz cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 oz salami halved and sliced
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese pearls
- 1 small can of sliced black olives
- 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese freshly grated
- large handful of fresh basil slivered
Italian Dressing
- 1/2 cup cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove grated using a Microplane
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper freshly cracked
Instructions
Pasta Salad
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to cool pasta down.
- Make Italian dressing and prepare cucumbers, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, salami, and mozzarella.
- Pour cooled pasta into a large bowl. Top with cucumbers, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, salami, and mozzarella. Add basil and freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Pour salad dressing on top and mix gently to combine. Chill in the fridge for about an hour before serving, if possible.
Italian Dressing
- Combine ingredients in a measuring cup or jar with a lid. Whisk or shake until well combined.
