A fresh pasta salad: rigatoni with green beans, cherry tomatoes, black olives and rocket, finished with tinned tuna and toasted pine nuts and capers. The dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and oregano takes a minute to make. A summery lunch or light dinner that you can easily make ahead.
Pasta salad with tuna
Pasta salad with tuna
Method
01
Cook the pasta
Cook the rigatoni al dente in plenty of salted water, drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well.
02
Cook the beans
Boil the green beans for 7 minutes in salted water, drain and rinse under cold water.
03
Toast the topping
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and toast the pine nuts and capers for 2 minutes over medium heat until the nuts take on a little colour. Let them cool.
04
Make the dressing
Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper into an emulsified dressing.
05
Mix the salad
Combine the pasta, beans, cherry tomatoes and olives with the dressing in a large bowl and gently fold in the rocket.
06
Serve
Divide the salad between plates, top with the tuna and sprinkle with the pine nuts and capers.
Tips & notes
Use tuna in water or olive oil, well drained. A pasta salad is still good the next day, but keep the rocket separate. For a vegetarian version, replace the tuna with white beans.
Chef's tip
Do not cook the green beans for longer than 7 minutes and plunge them into cold water straight away, so they keep their green colour and bite. Add the rocket and the dressing only just before serving, so the salad does not go limp.
Variations
- With mozzarella: add small mozzarella balls for a creamier salad.
- With sun-dried tomatoes: replace half of the cherry tomatoes for extra intensity.
- Without pine nuts: use toasted sunflower seeds if you want it cheaper or nut-free.
Contains:
Gluten
Fish
Sulphites
