Featured Recipe
Bowtie Pasta Salad with Apples and Feta
By Kate
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A crisp, colorful salad with al dente bowtie pasta, diced apples, tangy dried cranberries, and creamy feta. Red onions softened in lemon juice and olive oil add subtle sweetness. Peppery arugula offers a fresh green crunch. Simple lemon and olive oil dressing coats all ingredients evenly for balanced flavor. Light, vegetarian, no nuts or eggs. Great for picnics or light meals.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
45 min
Serves:
8 servings
pasta
salad
vegetarian
easy meal
picnic
Introduction
Mixing up a pasta salad where balance of texture is king — chewy farfalle, crisp apples, tangy dried cherries, fresh peppery arugula, creamy feta. The caramelized onions slip in their sweetness while the lemon oil dressing wakes up the whole bowl. Not just tossing ingredients; it’s about layering flavors without heaviness. The timing on pasta cook? Test by bite, not clock. Onions need gentle coaxing to soften and not blacken. Apples cut last minute keeps crunch and brightness. Dried cherries swap for cranberries adding deeper fruitiness. The salad doesn’t wilt under dressing but breathes. Efficient prep by chilling pasta but keeping components fresh ensures no sogginess. The ideal lunch or side — colorful, fresh, unexpected. No nuts, no eggs, vegetarian friendly. Simple swaps and timing tricks keep it vibrant. Keep textures distinct, flavors sharp, a composition that invites noshing all afternoon.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 40 ml lemon juice (2 2/3 tbsp)
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil (3 1/3 tbsp)
- Salt and black pepper
- 400 g bowtie pasta (farfalle)
- 2 medium red onions, finely chopped
- 25 ml olive oil (1 2/3 tbsp)
- 20 ml lemon juice (1 1/3 tbsp)
- 1 green apple, cored and diced
- 1 red apple, cored and diced
- 75 g dried sour cherries, roughly chopped
- 200 g feta cheese, drained and cubed
- 120 g (5 cups) fresh arugula, coarsely chopped
Salad
About the ingredients
Bowtie, or farfalle, offers ridges that catch dressing and keeps salad interesting. Substitute with fusilli or gemelli if you only have those on hand; shape matters for dressing clinging but not a must. Use sour cherries instead of cranberries for richer flavor and less sweetness — dried tart cherries also have better texture, less tendency to go rubbery. Onion sauté softened but not browned is essential — avoid high heat or it becomes harsh and bitter, ruining salad’s balance. Green apple and red apple offer different acidity and sweetness, balance is key; Granny Smith and Gala or Fuji work well here. Feta cut into small cubes as it must distribute evenly without overpowering. Arugula chopped bigger retains peppery bite; baby spinach can substitute but milder flavor, less crunch. Dressing lemon juice ratio adjusted for brightness without bitterness — olive oil quality affects overall taste, use good, fresh oil. Salt and pepper must be measured and adjusted with tasting to avoid blandness or oversalted. If pressed for time, skip sautéing onions but add finely diced raw; flavor changes, though less mellow.
Method
Dressing
- 1. Pour lemon juice into large bowl; slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper — no heavy hand needed; dressing must brighten but not overpower.
- 2. Boil salted water vigorously; drop bowtie pasta in. Stir immediately to avoid sticking. Cook al dente — about 8 to 10 minutes depending on brand. Test by biting: firm but no raw flour crunch.
- 3. Drain pasta, toss quickly with small drizzle of olive oil to prevent clumping. Cool barely, room temp ideal; too cold dulls flavors.
- 4. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions with lemon juice. Sauté gently for 6 to 8 minutes until onions turn translucent and tender, hint of golden edges. Important: onions soften and release sweetness; don’t brown or burn—turns bitter.
- 5. Add cooked onions to pasta bowl.
- 6. Fold in diced apples, dried cherries, cubed feta, and chopped arugula. Light tossing; keep apples intact. Apples add crunch and acidity, cherries tart sweetness balances feta creaminess.
- 7. Taste and adjust seasoning — salt, pepper, maybe touch more lemon juice. Let sit 10 to 15 minutes to marry flavors but not limp greens.
- 8. Serve room temperature or slightly chilled. Holds well with minimal change in texture.
- 9. Leftover tip: Keep apples separate until serving to avoid browning.
Salad
Technique Tips
Water boiling rapidly is your starting cue; salt the water heavily — similar to sea water salinity— to flavor pasta inside. Boil pasta uncovered, stir often to prevent clumping. Texture crucial: bite to check firmness, no spoon timer reliance. Drain well, a little olive oil tossed prevents sticking during cooling. Don’t rinse pasta — washes away starch needed for binding dressing. Onions cooked gently with lemon juice — the acid pulls sweetness out, softens texture without caramelization. Medium heat best; too high toughens onions, scorches oil. The sautéed onions let off a sweet, faintly tangy aroma when ready. Toss pasta with dressing first to coat completely—this traps flavor inside the pasta so it isn’t dry or bland. Adding salad ingredients after lets colors and textures remain vivid and distinct. Adjust seasoning after all added. Rest salad a few minutes for flavors to meld, keeping arugula mostly fresh and crisp. Serve room temp or lightly chilled. Storing salad too cold dulls texture; apples brown over time — mix those last minute when possible. Leftovers keep well up to 24 hours in fridge tightly covered; add fresh greens after if needed for crunch.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Cooking pasta? Test by biting, not a timer. Aim for al dente. Too soft and it gets mushy. Keep stirring in boiling water to avoid clump.
- 💡 Onions need gentle heat. High temp burns them. Cook slow, bring out sweetness. Lemon juice helps soften. Translucent means ready.
- 💡 Diced apples last minute. Prevents browning, keeps crunch. Red apple brings sweetness; green apple adds tartness. Mix both, balance flavor.
- 💡 Sautéing? Nix browning onions. Soft, sweet is key. Too much heat? Bitter taste ruins salad. Control the skillet temp.
- 💡 Dressing is simple but important. Whisk slowly. Olive oil quality matters. Use fresh. Ratio of juice to oil - adjust to your taste.
