Vermicelli Summer Salad is the best pasta dish you can have while lounging by the pool, dreaming of being on the Amalfi coast. Light, flavorful and full of texture and seasonings, you’ll want to keep this recipe nearby!
What is Vermicelli?
Vermicelli is a thin pasta, smaller than spaghetti but larger than capellini. This recipe is a spin-off of a fabulous pasta salad my friend Deb makes. She is an excellent cook and hostess extraordinaire! The secret to this seemingly simple pasta dish is: you must marinate the pasta overnight.
Isn’t Vermicelli a Rice Noodle?
There are two types of Vermicelli noodles: the Italian, which is made with semolina flour, eggs and salt (and is used in this recipe) and the Asian variety, which uses rice flour instead of a semolina flour. If you wanted to prepare this dish gluten-free, you would use rice Vermicelli noodles.
Why Do I Have to Let the Noodles Sit Overnight?
The marination process of the noodles is key to the flavor of this dish. Without the overnight marinading of the noodles, this recipe would just taste like noodles with vegetables. The seasoned salt, lemon juice and olive oil turn the noodles into a truly gourmet pasta dish!
Variations for Vermicelli Pasta Salad
If you want to jazz-up vermicelli pasta salad, add boiled shrimp to the pasta, then marinate both overnight. This recipe calls for mayonnaise, so don’t let it sit outside for more than two hours. Other variations include:
- green olives
- artichoke hearts
- hearts of palm
Serve this overnight pasta salad at a summer gathering and it will be the talk of the party!
You might also like: Wedge Salad, Shrimp Salad or Caesar Salad!
Vermicelli Summer Salad
Ingredients
Basic Pasta
- 12 oz Vermicelli Pasta cook, rinse and drain
- 2 tablespoons Lawry's Seasoned Salt
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
Pasta Sauce and Vegetables
- 2 4 oz. jars pimentos diced, drained
- 1 cup green pepper chopped
- 3/4 cup green onions chopped
- 2 4 oz. cans black olives chopped
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
Instructions
- Cook pasta for 5 minutes: rinse and drain
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, seasoned salt, lemon juice and olive oil; cover and refrigerate overnight
- The next day, add remaining ingredients to pasta; cover and allow to refrigerate for 2 hours (minimum)
- Serve slightly chilled
Notes
- Note: this recipe calls for Vermicelli pasta--not vermicelli rice noodles. You can use any pasta you choose: spaghetti, angel hair, or a tubular pasta (macaroni, rigatoni, etc.)
- This recipe works best if you make the pasta and and let it sit overnight; the next day, add the remaining ingredients, cover and store overnight-again.
- If you don't have two days, just make sure the pasta (combined with the seasoned salt, lemon juice and olive oil) is refrigerated overnight. The next morning, add the other ingredients, cover and let sit in fridge until ready to serve.
I'd love to hear from you!