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Turkish-Inspired Pasta Salad

This is the pasta salad that packed its bags and moved to Istanbul. It’s fresh, tangy, herb-loaded, and way too cool for your average BBQ side dish. The combo of tiny pasta, lemon, pepper paste, and a mountain of fresh herbs is basically summer in a bowl.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Side Dish
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Large pot
  • Colander
  • Large bowl
  • Skillet
  • Wooden spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces about 2 cups ditalini pasta
  • 1 medium cucumber diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 2 medium tomatoes diced (or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved)
  • ½ small red onion finely chopped
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon mild pepper paste or 1 ½ teaspoons tomato paste + 1 ½ teaspoons mild harissa
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes optional
  • Juice of 1 large lemon about 3 tablespoons
  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cook the Pasta: Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook the ditalini until just tender, about 8–9 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool it down fast. Set aside.
    8 ounces about 2 cups ditalini pasta
  • Prep the Veggies: While the pasta’s cooking, chop up the cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, and onion. Add them to a big mixing bowl.
    1 medium cucumber, 1 red bell pepper, 2 medium tomatoes, ½ small red onion
  • Herb Overload: Toss the chopped parsley, mint, and dill into the bowl with the veggies. It’ll look like a lot. That’s exactly right.
    ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, ¼ cup chopped fresh mint, ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
  • Sizzle the Flavor Base: In a skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium. Add garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant but not browned.
    2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 2 garlic cloves
  • Spice Things Up: Stir in the pepper paste, paprika, cumin, and optional chili flakes. Let it cook for 2–3 minutes until it darkens and smells amazing.
    1 tablespoon mild pepper paste, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Add the Zing: Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, salt, and black pepper. Taste it. Then add a little more lemon because you probably need it.
    Juice of 1 large lemon, 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, Salt and black pepper
  • Mix It All Together: Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the veggies and herbs. Pour the warm dressing over everything and stir like you mean it.
  • Chill and Serve: Let it hang out in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. It gets better the longer it sits. Just like you at a beach vacation.