I didn’t mean for it to become dinner.
But I had half a box of pasta, a lemon that looked tired, and too many cherry tomatoes with soft spots.
Mae walked in, said, “oh, we’re doing fridge salad?”
I nodded like I planned it.
Her Highness calls it a pasta salad.
I call it something cold that still feels like effort.
What the Original Looked Like
Martha’s pasta salad is balanced.
Bright from lemon, briny from capers, creamy from mozzarella.
She makes a vinaigrette first—lemon juice, red wine vinegar, mashed garlic, olive oil, oregano.
She salts the tomatoes and lets them cry for 15 minutes. Smart.
She uses chickpeas. Fennel. Pasta tossed with half the dressing while it’s still warm.
Then everything gets layered. Combined. Chilled.
Served room temp with shaved cheese and parsley like it’s nothing at all.
What I Did Differently
Used fusilli. Because it’s what I had.
Didn’t salt the tomatoes long enough.
Used jarred capers and forgot the brine. Added a splash of vinegar to make up for it.
My mozzarella was dry around the edges. I used it anyway.
Didn’t regret it.
The Way It Happened in My Kitchen
I made the vinaigrette in the mug I used for tea that morning.
Still smelled like bergamot. Covered it with garlic and lemon.
Boiled the pasta while Mae cut the fennel too thick.
I didn’t fix it.
Tossed the warm noodles with half the dressing. Let it sit on a sheet pan like Her Highness said.
It looked sad. But smelled alive.
Combined everything while humming something I couldn’t place.
Put it in the fridge. Ate a forkful cold an hour later.
It had settled. In a good way.
A Few Things I Learned
Salted tomatoes feel emotional.
Fennel softens when you stop caring how it’s cut.
And cold pasta salad speaks louder the next day.
What I Did With the Extras
Left it in a bowl with a spoon. Mae grazed.
I picked the mozzarella out first.
The parsley wilted. Still good.
Would I Make It Again?
Yes.
Especially on days when I don’t know what I want, but I know it’s not hot.
That’s As Much As I Remember
It was bright. Salty.
And just messy enough to feel like mine.
if you want something warmer, i made martha’s lentil soup when the radiator broke. different kind of comfort. still healing.
FAQs
no. but if you do, they get deeper. a little sadder. more flavor.
swap it. celery, cucumber, snap peas. anything with crunch.
yes. it likes to rest. just bring it to room temp before eating.
best that way. especially if you’re standing by the fridge.
you can. but don’t. it makes the whole thing feel more like a meal.
Martha Stewart’s Pasta Salad (Nell’s Version)
Description
Zingy, briny pasta salad with chickpeas, tomatoes, and too much personality to ignore. Gets better with time. Don’t we all?
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette. Mash the garlic and ½ tsp salt into a paste. Whisk in lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, and olive oil. Add pepper. Let it sit while you cook.
- Salt the tomatoes. Toss them with ½ tsp salt in a strainer. Let them drain for 15 minutes. They’ll weep a little. That’s good.
- Cook the pasta. Boil in salted water until just tender. Drain—don’t rinse. Spread on a baking sheet. Toss with half the vinaigrette. Let it cool 20 minutes.
- Build the salad. In a big bowl, mix chopped fennel, capers + brine, chickpeas, mozzarella, and the salted tomatoes.
- Add pasta + dressing. Dump in the cooled pasta. Add the rest of the vinaigrette. Toss like you mean it.
- Chill if you can. Fridge it up to a day ahead. But let it sit out 30 minutes before serving.
- Finish and serve. Toss with Parmigiano and parsley right before eating. Taste. Adjust. Eat from the bowl, if no one’s watching.