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Summer garden pasta salad with angel hair, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and grated Parmesan inspired by Ina Garten

Ina Garten Summer Garden Pasta Salad

Caroline Sciberras
Ina Garten's Summer Garden Pasta: a refreshing salad with basil, tomatoes, and Parmesan over angel hair. Great warm or cold—perfect for summer dinners.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Salad
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 6 people
Calories 581 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Basil Garlic Oil Marinade

  • ½ cup (118ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 tbsp (50g) fresh garlic, minced
  • 18 large basil leaves julienned + extra for garnish
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes crushed
  • 900 g (32oz) cherry tomatoes, halved

For the Pasta Salad Assembly

  • All of the prepared marinated tomatoes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 454 g (1lb) dried angel hair pasta
  • 1½ cups (150g) grated parmesan + extra for serving

Instructions
 

For the Cherry Tomatoes Marinade

  • Combine the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, minced garlic, julienned basil leaves, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for at least a few minutes, or up to 4 hours, to allow the flavors to meld together.

For the Pasta Salad

  • Cook the pasta a few minutes before serving.
  • Boil a large pot of water with added salt (2 tablespoons
  • Cook the pasta until al dente following the package instructions
  • Drain the pasta and mix it with the cherry tomatoes marinade.
  • Toss in freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Garnish with fresh basil leaves. and gently toss to combine everything together.

Notes

Recipe Notes:

  1. Cherry Tomato Marinade:
    • Use ripe, flavourful cherry tomatoes for the best results.
    • Adjust the amount of minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and basil to taste.
    • If making ahead, refrigerate the marinade for no more than 5 days due to the risk of botulism from raw garlic in oil.
      For longer storage, freeze in ice cube trays. To extend shelf life, substitute fresh basil with dried basil and garlic with garlic powder.
  2. Pasta Salad:
    • Cook angel hair pasta al dente to preserve its delicate texture.
    • Toss just before serving for even distribution of flavours.
    • Allow the salad to chill in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving to enhance the flavours.
  3. Make-Ahead Tips:
    • Marinade can be refrigerated up to 5 days with fresh garlic or up to 1 month if using garlic powder.
    • Fresh basil darkens over time—use dried in the marinade and reserve fresh for garnishing.
  4. Storage:
    • Pasta salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
    • Freeze extra marinade in ice cube trays if keeping for longer periods.
Keyword Bruschetta Salad, Caprese Salad, Pasta Salad