FOOD NEWS
Why You Should Avoid Serving Pasta Salad Directly From The Fridge
BY STEPHANIE FRIEDMAN
While pasta salad is meant to be eaten cold, the noodles can become hard and rubbery when eaten right from the fridge. The chill can also make other mix-ins hard to enjoy.
This is due to the pasta salad’s dressing, which is often mayonnaise or olive oil-based. The dressing’s fats can solidify in the fridge and leave behind an unpleasant texture.
Instead, serve your pasta salad at room temperature. Just remember not to leave it out in the open for more than two hours, or one hour if it’s hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Since you only have a two-hour window, take your pasta salad from the fridge for about 15 minutes before stirring it to loosen any solidified dressing and serving it up.
To further amp up your pasta salad, add fresh ingredients like herbs or cut veggies. If it’s a little dry, add extra-moist ingredients like pepperoncini, capers, or pickles.