Sandra Turkish Pasta Salad is a vibrant Mediterranean side dish featuring fussili, crunchy gherkins, sweetcorn, and a tangy herbed yoghurt dressing. This colourful salad makes the best use of store-cupboard staples for a quick lunch or barbecue accompaniment.
The first time I made this, I didn’t let the pasta cool down enough and the yoghurt dressing turned watery. Now I always rinse the cooked pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and strip away excess starch. Doing this keeps the dressing thick and ensures every piece of pasta is properly coated rather than sitting in a puddle.
The pickle juice is doing more work than you’d think in this recipe. Without it, the dressing is just a heavy mix of mayo and yoghurt, but that splash of vinegar cuts through the fat and brings the whole bowl to life. I’ve tried a few versions of pasta salad and this one is the one I keep going back to because it stays fresh in the fridge for days.
Turkish Pasta Salad Ingredients
- 250g (9oz) fusilli or penne pasta
- 1 red pointed pepper, finely diced
- 160g (5.5oz) tinned sweetcorn, drained
- 6 large gherkins, diced
- 300g (10.5oz) tinned peas and carrots, drained
- 6 heaped tbsp full-fat Greek yoghurt
- 5 heaped tbsp mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp gherkin pickling liquid
- 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
- 15g (0.5oz) fresh dill, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How To Make Turkish Pasta Salad
- Boil the pasta: Fill a large pot with salted water and cook the pasta for about 8-10 minutes until it’s firm to the bite. Drain the pasta into a colander and immediately run it under a cold tap until the pasta feels cold to the touch.
- Prepare the vegetables: Dice the red pepper into small squares and chop the gherkins into similar sized pieces. Drain the tinned corn and the pea and carrot mix thoroughly in a sieve to remove all the canning liquid.
- Whisk the dressing: Mix the Greek yoghurt, mayonnaise, gherkin juice, mustard, and grated garlic together in a small bowl until the texture is smooth. Stir in the chopped dill and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Combine the salad: Place the cold pasta and all the chopped vegetables into a large mixing bowl. Pour the yoghurt dressing over the top and use a large spoon to fold everything together until the pasta is evenly covered.
- Let it rest: Cover the bowl with clingfilm and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. This time allows the pasta to soak up the flavours of the dill and garlic.
Recipe Tips
Dry the vegetables. Make sure you shake the sieved peas, carrots, and corn well to remove any leftover water. If the vegetables are wet, the dressing will slide off the pasta and pool at the bottom of the bowl.
Use full-fat yoghurt. Low-fat versions often contain more water and less protein, which causes the dressing to split or become thin. Thick Greek-style yoghurt gives the salad a creamy, professional finish that holds its shape.
Season after resting. Pasta tends to absorb salt as it sits in the fridge, so taste the salad again just before serving. You might find it needs an extra pinch of salt or a crack of black pepper to make the flavours pop.
Make it ahead. This salad actually tastes better on the second day once the garlic has mellowed into the yoghurt. Keep it in an airtight container to prevent the pasta from drying out or absorbing other fridge smells.
Chop items evenly. Try to cut the peppers and gherkins to roughly the same size as the peas and corn. Uniform pieces make the salad easier to eat and ensure you get a bit of everything in every forkful.
What To Serve With Turkish Pasta Salad
This salad is a staple at Turkish barbecues and pairs brilliantly with grilled chicken skewers or spicy lamb koftas. The cool yoghurt dressing provides a refreshing contrast to charred meats and smoky flavours.
For a vegetarian lunch, serve a large scoop alongside some warm flatbread and a bit of hummus. It also works well as a side for a simple jacket potato or a piece of grilled salmon.
How To Store Turkish Pasta Salad
Fridge
Keep the salad in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If the dressing looks a bit dry on the second day, stir in a teaspoon of yoghurt to loosen it up.
Reheat
This dish must be served cold or at room temperature. Do not attempt to reheat it in a microwave or oven as the yoghurt and mayonnaise will split and become oily.
Freeze
Do not freeze this recipe. The texture of the cooked pasta becomes mushy and the yoghurt dressing will separate and lose its creaminess once thawed.
Turkish Pasta Salad Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 4): Calories: 485kcal, Protein: 12g, Fat: 22g, Carbohydrates: 58g, Sugar: 8g, Sodium: 650mg. Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.
FAQs
Use fusilli or conchiglie because the twists and hollows are excellent at catching and holding onto the thick yoghurt dressing.
Yes, you can use 2 teaspoons of dried dill, but the flavour won’t be as bright as the fresh herb.
Rinse the pasta under cold water immediately after draining to wash away the surface starch that causes clumping.
Turkish Pasta Salad Recipe
Description
A refreshing Mediterranean pasta salad loaded with crisp vegetables and a creamy garlic-dill yoghurt dressing.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente then rinse under cold water.
- Finely dice the pepper and gherkins and drain all tinned vegetables.
- Whisk together yoghurt, mayo, mustard, garlic, dill, and gherkin juice.
- Combine the cold pasta and vegetables in a large bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until evenly coated.
- Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
