Lemon Capellini Salad with Capers and Tomatoes Recipe
A cool and refreshing Italian pasta salad featuring delicate capellini pasta tossed with a tangy lemon dressing, juicy diced tomatoes, briny capers, and fresh parsley. Perfect as a light side dish for warm weather meals.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 oz capellini pasta (angel hair pasta can be used as a substitute)
Dressing
- Juice of 2 medium lemons + 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Salad Additions
- ½ cup diced tomatoes, seeds removed
- 3 tbsp capers, drained
- 1 tbsp curly leaf parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the capellini pasta and cook until tender, which should take about 3 to 5 minutes due to the thinness of the pasta. Drain the pasta and immediately rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking.
- Prepare the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the juice of 2 lemons, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, garlic salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Toss the salad: Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the dressing. Incorporate the diced tomatoes and drained capers, tossing gently to evenly coat all ingredients.
- Finish with parsley: Stir in the finely chopped curly leaf parsley. Give the salad one final toss to mix all flavors together thoroughly.
- Serve or chill: Serve the lemon capellini salad immediately for best freshness or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, toss the salad again to redistribute the dressing if it has settled.
Notes
- This pasta salad can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Make sure to toss the salad before serving if it has been sitting, as the dressing may settle at the bottom.
- Seeds are removed from the tomatoes to prevent excess moisture and sogginess.
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best bright flavor in the dressing.