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Lemon Capellini Salad

A refreshing and light cold pasta salad made with delicate capellini pasta, a zesty lemon vinaigrette, salty capers, and fresh diced tomatoes. Perfect for summer.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Produce
  • 1 lb capellini pasta angel hair
  • 2 large fresh tomatoes diced, or 1 pint cherry tomatoes
  • 0.25 cup capers drained
  • 0.5 cup fresh parsley chopped
Lemon Vinaigrette
  • 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 tsp sugar or honey optional, for balance
  • 1 tsp salt and black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Colander

Method
 

  1. Cook capellini in salted boiling water until al dente (3-4 mins). Drain immediately and rinse with cold water; drain well.
  2. Whisk together lemon juice, zest, Dijon, garlic, and sugar/honey. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. In a large bowl, combine pasta, diced tomatoes, and capers. Pour 3/4 of the vinaigrette over and toss to coat.
  4. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
  5. Just before serving, toss the salad with the remaining vinaigrette and stir in the fresh parsley. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Notes

Ensure the pasta is rinsed thoroughly to remove starch, which can make the cold salad gummy.