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Pasta Salad with Currants Olives & Pine Nuts

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Submitted by spiderweb

Penne pasta salad with kalamata olives, dried currants, toasted pine nuts, and red onion in a curry-cumin parsley vinaigrette. A Mediterranean-meets-Indian make-ahead side.

YIELD

8 servings

PREP

30 min

COOK

10 min

READY

2 hrs

This pasta salad breaks the mold. Instead of the usual mayo-based dressing, penne gets tossed in a processor-blended vinaigrette loaded with fresh parsley, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and a surprising combination of curry powder and cumin. Those warm spices give the whole thing an unexpected depth that keeps people guessing.

The mix-ins are what make it memorable. Briny kalamata olives, sweet dried currants, and toasted pine nuts create a sweet-salty-nutty combination in every forkful. Red onion adds sharp bite that the acid in the dressing softens during the two-hour chill. It’s a flavor profile that borrows from both Mediterranean and Indian pantries without landing squarely in either camp.

Making the dressing in the food processor emulsifies the olive oil into the lemon-vinegar base, creating a thick, clingy coating that won’t pool at the bottom of the bowl. This salad actually improves overnight, so making it a day ahead is a smart move for potlucks or party prep.

Chef Tips

  • Rinse the cooked penne under cold water immediately after draining. This stops the cooking and washes off surface starch so the pasta doesn’t clump
  • Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over low heat, shaking frequently. They burn fast and go from golden to black in seconds
  • Toss the pasta with the dressing while it’s still slightly warm. Warm pasta absorbs more flavor than cold
  • Add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar before serving if the flavors have dulled after chilling overnight

Variations

  • Add diced cucumber and crumbled feta for a Greek-inspired twist
  • Swap currants for golden raisins or dried cranberries for a different sweet note
  • Fold in diced grilled chicken to turn this side into a main course

Ingredients

1 453.6
POUND G PASTA, PENNE
1 1
CLOVES EACH GARLIC
quartered
1 5
TEASPOON ML SALT
1 237
CUP ML PARSLEY LEAVES
packed, fresh, stemmed
¼ 59
CUP ML LEMON JUICE
fresh
¼ 59
1 5
TEASPOON ML CURRY POWDER
1 5
TEASPOON ML SUGAR
¾ 3.8
TEASPOON ML CUMIN
ground
½ 2.5
TEASPOON ML BLACK PEPPER
1 237
CUP ML OLIVE OIL
1 1
EACH RED ONION
peeled, finely chopped
1 237
CUP ML KALAMATA OLIVES
sliced *
158
CUP ML CURRANT
dried
158
CUP ML PINE NUTS
toasted
1
X PARSLEY SPRIG
fresh, to taste *
1
X CHERRY TOMATOES
to taste *

Directions

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.

Drain. Rinse under cold water; drain well.

Transfer pasta to large bowl.

Meanwhile, blend garlic and salt to paste in processor, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.

Add 1 cup parsley and mince. Blend in lemon juice, vinegar, curry, sugar, cumin and pepper.

With machine running, gradually add oil through feed tube in thin steady stream.

Pour dressing over pasta.

Add onion, olives, currants and pine nuts to pasta and toss.

Season with pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

(Can be made 1 day ahead.)

Garnish salad with parsley sprigs and cherry tomatoes and serve.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

Comments


Miriam

Wow! A long lost acquaintance of mine gave me this exact recipe (minus onions and tomatoes)MANY years ago...80's. It was in the NYT at one time but I couldn't find it in their archives. My recipe was torn & missing a couple spice quantities THANK YOU

 

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 171g (6.0 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 554 58% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 36g 55%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 308mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 17%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars g
Protein 20g
Vitamin A 13% Vitamin C 55%
Calcium 4% Iron 20%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low Cholesterol, Cholesterol-Free, Trans-fat Free, Good source of fiber
 

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