Italian pasta salad was invented in 1960s America—actual Italians still refuse to eat cold pasta mixed with mayo.
Crunchy Pasta Salad
Dive into this delightful Crunchy Pasta Salad, where al dente pasta meets vibrant, crisp greens for a delightful crunch in every bite. Tossed in a luscious yogurt dressing that adds a creamy tang, this salad is the perfect balance of flavors and textures. Quick to prepare and irresistibly fresh, it’s the ideal dish for any occasion!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- Fresh herbs (parsley or basil) (1.06 oz)
- Lemon juice or pickle juice (15 ml)
- Iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce
- Red onion
- Pepper
- Cherry tomatoes (7.06 oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- Sour cream (3.53 oz)
- Yogurt (natural) (5.29 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- Olive oil (45 ml)
- Short pasta (e.g. rigatoni, penne or farfalle) (8.82 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- Garlic powder (5 ml)
- Salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- Mustard (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente (8-10 minutes).
- 2
Drain pasta and let it steam dry.
- 3
Mix pasta with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- 4
Cook pasta in the air fryer at 200 °C until golden brown and crispy (15-18 minutes), shaking once.
- 5
Wash the lettuce, spin dry, and roughly chop.
- 6
Halve the cherry tomatoes.
- 7
Finely chop the red onion.
- 8
Roughly chop the herbs.
- 9
Combine lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and herbs in a large bowl.
- 10
Mix yogurt, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until smooth.
- 11
Pour dressing over the salad.
- 12
Top with crunchy pasta.
- 13
Gently mix everything and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Steam-dry your cooked pasta for 3-5 minutes after draining to remove surface moisture, which prevents oil absorption and creates better crisping in the air fryer.technique3-5 minutes
- ✓Toss pasta with oil at a 2:1 ratio (2 tablespoons oil per cup of pasta) before air frying to ensure even browning and prevent sticking.technique2:1 ratio
- ✓Shake the air fryer basket at exactly the 8-minute mark during crisping to redistribute pasta and achieve uniform golden browning on all surfaces.timing8-minute mark
- ✓Use a salad spinner at maximum speed for 30 seconds to remove excess water from lettuce, as residual moisture will make your crispy pasta soggy within 10 minutes.equipment30 seconds
- ✓Salt your chopped red onion with 1/4 teaspoon salt and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out harsh sulfur compounds, then rinse to mellow the bite without losing crunch.ingredient1/4 teaspoon, 10 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Italian pasta salad was invented in 1960s America—actual Italians still refuse to eat cold pasta mixed with mayo.
Crunchy Pasta Salad
Dive into this delightful Crunchy Pasta Salad, where al dente pasta meets vibrant, crisp greens for a delightful crunch in every bite. Tossed in a luscious yogurt dressing that adds a creamy tang, this salad is the perfect balance of flavors and textures. Quick to prepare and irresistibly fresh, it’s the ideal dish for any occasion!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- Fresh herbs (parsley or basil) (1.06 oz)
- Lemon juice or pickle juice (15 ml)
- Iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce
- Red onion
- Pepper
- Cherry tomatoes (7.06 oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- Sour cream (3.53 oz)
- Yogurt (natural) (5.29 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- Olive oil (45 ml)
- Short pasta (e.g. rigatoni, penne or farfalle) (8.82 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- Garlic powder (5 ml)
- Salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- Mustard (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente (8-10 minutes).
- 2
Drain pasta and let it steam dry.
- 3
Mix pasta with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- 4
Cook pasta in the air fryer at 200 °C until golden brown and crispy (15-18 minutes), shaking once.
- 5
Wash the lettuce, spin dry, and roughly chop.
- 6
Halve the cherry tomatoes.
- 7
Finely chop the red onion.
- 8
Roughly chop the herbs.
- 9
Combine lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and herbs in a large bowl.
- 10
Mix yogurt, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until smooth.
- 11
Pour dressing over the salad.
- 12
Top with crunchy pasta.
- 13
Gently mix everything and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Steam-dry your cooked pasta for 3-5 minutes after draining to remove surface moisture, which prevents oil absorption and creates better crisping in the air fryer.technique3-5 minutes
- ✓Toss pasta with oil at a 2:1 ratio (2 tablespoons oil per cup of pasta) before air frying to ensure even browning and prevent sticking.technique2:1 ratio
- ✓Shake the air fryer basket at exactly the 8-minute mark during crisping to redistribute pasta and achieve uniform golden browning on all surfaces.timing8-minute mark
- ✓Use a salad spinner at maximum speed for 30 seconds to remove excess water from lettuce, as residual moisture will make your crispy pasta soggy within 10 minutes.equipment30 seconds
- ✓Salt your chopped red onion with 1/4 teaspoon salt and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out harsh sulfur compounds, then rinse to mellow the bite without losing crunch.ingredient1/4 teaspoon, 10 minutes