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Cold Pasta with Gazpacho

17/11/2023

Cold pasta with gazpacho is a dish that embraces the flavors of Mediterranean cuisine with a Spanish touch – a fine example of how Italian and Spanish culinary traditions can be fused.

Ingredients

  • 250 g of short pasta (penne or fusilli are fine)
  • 3 ripe and firm tomatoes
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 small red onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Red wine vinegar, as needed
  • Salt and pepper, as needed
  • Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
  • Fresh basil or coriander, for garnish

Preparation

  1. Start by cooking the pasta in plenty of salted water following the package instructions to keep it al dente. Once cooked, drain and immediately cool under cold running water, then set it aside in a large bowl.

  2. Meanwhile, prepare the gazpacho: wash the tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers and peel the onion. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and peppers and cut all the vegetables into small pieces. Half of these will be set aside for the pasta, the other half will be used for the gazpacho.

  3. Take half of the prepared vegetables and put them in a blender along with the garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, pepper, a tablespoon of red wine vinegar, and a drizzle of oil. Blend until you obtain a smooth and creamy sauce.

  4. Combine the gazpacho sauce with the cold pasta and mix well to flavor. Add the other half of the diced vegetables to the pasta to give the dish a crunchy and fresh texture.

  5. Adjust the salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste, and finish with a nice drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

  6. Let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour before serving, so that all the flavors can blend well together.

  7. When serving, garnish with fresh basil leaves or coriander, to add an aromatic scent to your dish.

Gazpacho is a cold Spanish soup that is usually served as such, but in this case, we’ve used its base to dress a cold pasta dish, combining two classic summer recipes into one refreshing and light meal. The beauty of this recipe is that it’s also very versatile; you can add olives, capers or even pieces of mozzarella for an extra Italian touch. And if you like bolder flavors, a bit of Tabasco sauce or fresh chili is always welcome.

Remember to serve it well chilled, it’s the ideal dish for a hot summer day!

Cold Pasta with Gazpacho