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Pastina salad with fennel, orange, red onion, basil, and ricotta salata in a wooden serving bowl

Pastina Salad

This simple Pastina Salad is fresh, colorful, and full of bright and citrusy, crunchy flavor and texture. It's the perfect light side for easy dinners or summer entertaining.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 540 kcal

Ingredients
  

Pastina Salad

  • 8 ounces pastina
  • 1 small fennel bulb thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup red onion finely diced
  • 1 large orange sgmented and cut into pieces
  • ¼ cup Castelvetrano olives pitted and chopped
  • ⅓ cup ricotta salata finely grated
  • ⅓ cup fresh basil torn

Citrus Vinaigrette

  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pastina and cook until al dente according to package directions.
  • Drain the pastina and rinse briefly under cool water to stop the cooking. Drain well and transfer to a large serving bowl.
  • Make the citrus vinaigrette. Add the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and black pepper to a mason jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously until well combined and emulsified.
  • Add the fennel, red onion, orange, and Castelvetrano olives to the cooled pastina. Pour about half of the citrus vinaigrette over the salad and gently toss to combine, adding more vinaigrette as needed.
  • Add the basil and ricotta salata and gently toss again until evenly combined.
  • Taste and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve immediately or let the salad rest for about 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Storage:
  • Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. The pasta may absorb some dressing as it sits, so give it a stir with a fresh drizzle of olive oil or a squeeze of lemon before serving again.
Tips:
  • Rinse the cooked pastina briefly under cool water to stop the cooking and remove excess starch. Drain very well before assembling the salad.
  • Let the salad rest, if desired. A 30-minute rest allows the flavors to come together. Toss again before serving.
  • Slice the fennel very thinly so its crisp texture doesn't overwhelm the small pasta.
  • Ricotta salata is a firm, salty Italian cheese. Finely grate it so it distributes evenly throughout the pastina.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 540kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 11gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 485mgPotassium: 389mgFiber: 5gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 415IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 3mg
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