Summer Pasta Salad with Creamy Confit Shallot Vinaigrette
a mayo-free, flavor-full party pleaser!
Almost Healthy rule of pasta salad number 17: Use a fun shape!! (any Las Culturistas fans out there?) Not but really, half the fun of a pasta salad is the shape, in my opinion. You can keep your penne. The other half of the fun of a pasta salad is that it’s typically a warm weather staple, meaning if you’re eating one, it’s likely summertime and, well, isn’t that good news.
A big group of us went camping in Sequoia for the Fourth, and if you’ve seen any of my past camping content, you’ll know that the menu is taken quite seriously. We divvied up responsibilities for meals and snacks, and I’m happy to report that the entire team brought the heat.
and Katie kicked things off with a pizza party night one, and yes, that meant hauling a Gozney pizza oven and a full-size propane tank into the forest. The next day, Sara came through with everything for a hot dog bar, and I thought a big batch of pasta salad would be a welcome side. I also contributed toasted coconut tahini oat bars, shrimp boil packets, and potentially the most important item on the menu: the jello shots.
One of my fellow campers is staunchly anti-mayo, so dill-pickle ranch pasta salad was off the table. Instead, I slow-cooked shallots and garlic in olive oil until soft and jammy, then blended them with vinegar and honey to make an ultra-savory, creamy, tangy dressing. All your favorite summer veggies are in attendance and are mixed with a little bacon and feta that make this whole dish worthy of a center of the table spot at your next summer gathering.
This will have been our fourth summer camping in Sequoia, and it really never gets old. We camped in Sequoia last Fourth of July (that trip we cooked a yogurt-marinated chicken over the fire and made homemade naan — insane of us lol) but wound up leaving a night early because it was just too hot. This trip, we went to a higher elevation and the weather was perfect. We stayed at the Atwell Mill Campground in Three Rivers and while it was an hour long drive down a receptionless road to get there, it truly was the perfect spot to post up for the holiday weekend. From our campsite, we could hike up to a Sequoia grove that opened to a breathtaking overlook, hike the other direction and take an icy dip in a waterfall-fed swimming hole straight out of The Land Before Time, and there was even a little bar a mile or so up the road that had live music. Fun to be found in every direction!
Summer Pasta Salad with Creamy Confit Shallot Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Dressing
5 ounces shallot, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, peeled and trimmed
4 ounces extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
juice of 1 lemon, about 1/4 cup
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Lots of freshly cracked black pepper
Pasta Salad
1 pound of a short fun pasta shape, I used Cascatelli
1 pound thick-cut bacon, cooked and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups cooked corn kernels (I charred mine on the grill)
5-ounces feta in brine, drained and crumbled
1 bunch roughly chopped dill, about 1/2 cup
Freshly cracked black pepper
preparation
Make the dressing: Add the shallots, garlic, olive oil, and a pinch of salt to a small pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened and beginning to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Once cooled, transfer the shallot-garlic oil mixture to a tall container (like a 2-cup measuring cup) and add the rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and honey. Blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Make the pasta salad: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions or until just past al dente (for Cascatelli, that’s 13–15 minutes). Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
While the pasta is still warm, toss with half of the shallot dressing and mix well to coat.
Add the bacon, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, and corn, and stir to evenly distribute. Once the pasta has cooled slightly, fold in the feta, dill, and the remaining dressing. Mix thoroughly until everything is well-coated.
Serve immediately (if you're camping and have no choice!) or refrigerate to chill and let the flavors meld. The salad will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.