Forget everything you think you know about pasta salad, this is how Italians actually make it. Pasta alla Crudaiola is a classic from Puglia, made with orecchiette, ripe cherry tomatoes, basil, and good olive oil. No mayo, no bottled dressing, and no cooked sauce, just real, fresh ingredients doing all the work!
It comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta, and it’s just as good warm, at room temperature, or straight from the fridge the next day. Pack it for the beach, bring it to a barbecue, or eat it as a light summer lunch. If you want one pasta recipe that’s fresh, fast, and worth making on repeat all summer, this is it.
Ingredients:
1 lb (500g) fresh orecchiette
1 lb (500g) cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 clove of garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh basil
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Ricotta salata, grated
*For this video, I doubled the recipe! (to fill up the big bowl lol)
Directions:
1. Add the quartered cherry tomatoes to a large bowl.
2. Season with salt, black pepper, grated clove of garlic and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
3. Tear in plenty of fresh basil and mix everything together. Let the tomatoes marinate while the pasta cooks.
4. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the orecchiette until al dente.
5. Transfer the hot pasta directly to the bowl and toss until everything is well combined.
6. Finish with a generous amount of grated ricotta salata and mix it all together.
Video Chapters
0:00 How to Make Italian Pasta Salad
0:15 Ingredients
0:35 Preparing the Tomatoes
1:58 Adding in Garlic, Basil and Olive Oil
3:23 Cooking the Orecchiette
4:25 Bringing It All Together
4:51 Finishing with Ricotta Salata
5:18 Mixing It All Together
5:05 Plating and Giovanni
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
✅ No Mayo, No Problem: Just fresh, simple ingredients
✅ Ready in 10 Minutes: An easy weeknight dinner or summer lunch that comes together fast
✅ Perfect Anytime: Enjoy it warm, at room temperature, cold, or even the next day
Comment Below:
Have you ever tried Pasta alla Crudaiola? I’ll be in Puglia this summer, so let me know in the comments if there are any other Puglia recipes you’d love to see! 👇🍅🍝🌿
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#pasta #italianfood #easyrecipe
36 Comments
Thanks!
My favorite combo. Tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, & pasta is always delicious. Plus a kitty friend, doesn't get any better.
Thanks Giovanni. 🐈💜🍅🧄😋
Kitty needs to go home with you to New Jersey. It’s a myth that cats are better off outside. They are very affectionate and love being with people. Plus life outside is hard. Food is scarce or irregular, dangers abound from cars and large animals and if she gets sick there’s no medical care. Bring her home with you and give her a long and happy life. Also give her a little grated cheese on a plate and she won’t keep jumping on the table.
I have a question about keeping pasta salad for a few days. Does pasta not get soggy from all the juices over time?
Didn’t know Italians made pasta salad! 😮
I’d eat that hot, looks delicious!
Be nice to your supervisor!
Please make spahetti with mussels. It is a staple of Puglia. The "cousin" of speghetti alla vongole from napoli.
I can taste it from here 😊
Can you eat it chilled?
Great recipe!
It looks way way too good!
That's a great recipe for summer and of course the 4th. And the background – Pulia – looks beautiful… Dang. It's always the guys that don't like cats that the cats go to. HA! Really like the authenticity of all your recipes. Thanks again and best wishes for your summer trip !
Kitty is very interested in your methods….cute. p.s. cats are friendly folk
The recipe looks delicious. The cat likes you so you are now her person 😊 ❤
After watching one of your shorts, just yesterday I made a very similar salad with Gragnano's mezzi paccheri pasta (just because I had it) but with spinach (just because my daughter wanted it). It tasted great. Thank you!
Looks delicious! For those who need more help, can you give a measurement of ingredient? Please!😊
Todayis the 250th Anniversary / Fourth of July in the US so many pasta salads being eaten today.
i make this all summer! Yum! 🍴❣️
Take allergy shots. Bring the cat back home.
Dude you lost me with the filthy cat.
My Grandparents were from Bovino in Puglia
🍅🍅🍅
👁️🫶🏼👁️
Yes -yes-yes Chef 👏👏 Salute’
Great recipe thank you. Enjoy the rest of your summer! Love your new friend too!
You should work on building up a natural immunity to kitty allergies. It’s worth it. That kitty wanted you. You should name her/him Oreckitty and give it a happy life. 🙂
Also, the pasta salad looks amazing! Excellent job. I might want a few olives on the side when I make mine. Do you ever make recipes with olive tapenade?
That serving bowl is beautiful!
Lovely kitty and a simple delicious pasta dish. I also loved the background sunny scene. Enjoy your visit there😊❤
I don't think I've ever heard that the problem with most pasta salad is "too many ingredients", it's normally that it's bland lol.
«Pasta alla Crudaiola» loosely translated as: 'Raw-Dogged Pasta' (just stick with 'orecchiette'…don't push it by using 'penne'! 😁) My Mum made something very similar but with home-made «conchiglie del mare» and diced chunks of «mozzarella di bufala»!👌🏻
Looks wonderful. Please adopt the little cat.
Congrats for your Puglia holiday!
Mama mia!!! This salad is a star. Even got the attention of this cute kitten. ❤😂
Love your helper….so cute❤❤❤
Always love these simple summertime “cold-serve” recipes, Giovanni: my neighbours are Pugliese and are always having me try different things. Since you are in Puglia, I’d like to see your take on Spaghetti all'assassina – yes I know it’s a lengthy process. And as you’re spending 4th July overseas🇮🇹, wishing you a Buon Giorno dell'Indipendenza🇺🇸!!!
Kitty wants some.
sooo many people talking about that vera hart archetype quiz its crazy, lol. Tried it myself and the results are quite promising. I'm an alchemist! What are you?