When someone asks for pasta with salmon in August, the answer cannot be to turn on the stove for half an hour. So here is the solution: a cold pasta salad with smoked salmon, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes that is prepared in a jiffy and eaten nice and cool.
It doesn’t have cream, mayonnaise, cheese, or any of those sauces that end up feeling heavy as soon as the heat hits. Just smoked salmon, seasonal vegetables, plenty of basil, lemon, and a good virgin olive oil.
It is also one of those recipes that you prepare, put in the fridge, and take to the campsite, the beach, or the office without any problem. And along the way, I’m going to tell you a couple of things you should never do with pasta, even if it’s for a salad. Let’s go!
Index
Watch the video with all the steps
Below you can see the video with all the steps to prepare the cold pasta salad with salmon in the easiest way.
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Main ingredients
For 2 people
⏱ Preparation time: 15 min
⏱ Cooking time: 12 min
🔥 Calories: 560 kcal per serving
- 160 g fusilli or short pasta
- 100 g smoked salmon
- 200 g zucchini
- 150 g cherry tomatoes
- 8 basil leaves
- 1/2 organic lemon
- Virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
The pasta, of course, should be a short shape: classic fusilli work wonderfully. A curious thing happens with zucchini: the smaller they are, the better, because their flavor is much more concentrated. And make sure the lemon is organic, because we are going to use the zest.
Remember: At the end of the article, you will find the complete recipe card with detailed cooking and preparation times.
How to prepare the cold pasta salad with salmon
First, let the cherry tomatoes marinate
Cut the tomatoes in half and let them marinate while you prepare the rest. Half an hour is ideal, but if it’s a little less, nothing happens. In a bowl: salt, pepper, basil, olive oil, and give it a stir.
Brown the zucchini without salt
Cut the zucchini and aromatize the oil in the pan with a few sprigs of basil. Remove them before adding the zucchini. And now the important part: don’t add salt yet. Salt releases water, and the crosticcina, that golden crust that gives it all the flavor, won’t form.
It’s not about overcooking it: what we want is for it to brown well but keep its freshness and crunchiness. When it has that beautiful color, then yes, a pinch of salt, a toss, and that’s it. Then transfer it to a bowl.
Aromatize the zucchini with lemon and basil
Zest a little lemon peel over it, add black pepper, more basil torn by hand, and another drizzle of oil. Mix and set aside.
Then, cook the pasta and take it out early
Put the water to boil and salt it; it doesn’t matter if you do it before or when it starts boiling. Add the pasta and take it out a minute or a minute and a half early. Drain it, transfer it to a bowl, and add a little oil so it doesn’t stick.
Cut the salmon to your liking
Cut the smoked salmon however you like, thinner or thicker. If you cut it too thin, you won’t notice it later, so I prefer a size that you can feel when you bite into it.
Prepare the dressing and mix everything
In a bowl, a little lemon juice (don’t overdo it), salt, black pepper, and plenty of virgin olive oil. Stir well.
Then combine everything in a large bowl: the tomatoes with their juices, the zucchini, the salmon, and the dressing. Mix carefully and taste to see if it needs anything.
Serve and enjoy
Plate it and finish with a little more pepper, a few basil leaves, a bit more lemon zest, and a drizzle of virgin olive oil. You can eat it immediately or leave it in the fridge and take it wherever you want.
Tricks and tips for a perfect cold pasta salad
Never run the pasta under the tap
This is the most important one of all. Even if you are going to eat it cold, do not take the pasta and run it under water. Take it out a minute or a minute and a half early, drain it, put it in a bowl, and add a little oil so it doesn’t stick. That is more than enough, and the pasta retains all its flavor.
Take care of each ingredient separately
This is the trick that changes the result in simple preparations. The marinated tomatoes on one side, the browned zucchini on another, the dressing separately. Yes, you can put everything in at once, but don’t be lazy: the result is not the same.
Salt on the zucchini, always at the end
If you add salt at the beginning, the zucchini releases water and steams instead of browning. First the crosticcina, then the salt.
Basil, torn by hand
No knife: basil should be torn with your fingers so it doesn’t oxidize and take on that dark tone and metallic taste.
Zest the lemon upside down
Move the lemon over the grater instead of the grater over the lemon. This way you have much better control and don’t reach the white part, which is what makes it bitter.
Taste as you go
Taste each element separately before putting it all together. If the zucchini needs a pinch of salt, this is the time to add it, not when it’s already mixed with the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why shouldn’t you cool the pasta with cold water?
Because it loses flavor and starch. It is better to drain it a minute early and mix it with a little oil so it doesn’t stick while it cools.
Which pasta is best for a cold pasta salad?
Short shapes, and fusilli work especially well because their spirals retain the dressing and the small pieces of each ingredient.
Can it be prepared in advance?
Yes, that is one of its advantages. It keeps well in the fridge and is perfect for taking to the beach, the countryside, or the office in a lunchbox.
Why is the zucchini salted at the end?
Because salt makes it release water and then it steams instead of browning. By salting it at the end, you get that golden crust that adds flavor.
Can the smoked salmon be swapped for something else?
Smoked salmon is the star of this version, although the base of zucchini, marinated cherry tomatoes, and basil works just as well on its own.
Related recipes you will love
If you like fresh summer dishes and pasta with real ingredients, here is where to continue:
- Pasta alla checca: the Roman cold pasta with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, ready in ten minutes.
- Pasta salad with zucchini and peanut and mint pesto: another take on zucchini, this time raw and grated.
- Tuscan Panzanella: the Tuscan bread salad, the queen of Italian summer tables.
Enjoy your cold pasta salad with salmon!
In the end, it turns out that the simplest recipes are the ones that require the most attention: each ingredient on its own, salt at the right moment, and pasta treated as it deserves.
Go ahead and prepare it and tell me in the comments how it turned out, or what you added to it.
If you liked this recipe, subscribe to my YouTube channel and Instagram to discover more authentic Italian dishes. Leave a comment with your impressions and share your photos on social media. I’d love to see your creations!
Bon appétit!
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The card
Cold pasta salad with salmon, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes
Ingredients
- 160 g fusilli or short pasta
- 100 g smoked salmon
- 200 g zucchini
- 150 g cherry tomatoes
- 8 hojas fresh basil
- ½ unidad organic lemon
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half
- Marinate them with salt, pepper, basil, and olive oil for half an hour
- Flavor the oil in the pan with a few sprigs of basil and then remove them
- Brown the sliced zucchini without adding salt so that a crust forms
- Salt the zucchini only at the end and give it a quick toss
- Transfer the zucchini to a bowl with lemon zest, pepper, hand-torn basil, and oil
- Boil plenty of salted water for the pasta
- Cook the pasta and drain it one minute before the indicated time
- Transfer the pasta to a bowl with a little oil so it doesn’t stick, without cooling it under the tap
- Cut the smoked salmon into strips that are neither too thin nor too thick
- Prepare the dressing with lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil
- Mix the pasta with the tomatoes and their juices, the zucchini, the salmon, and the dressing
- Taste and adjust salt if necessary
- Serve with pepper, fresh basil, lemon zest, and a drizzle of oil
