Linguine Salad Supreme Light

It is so insanely hot here–and I assume that it’s hot where you are, too–that the last thing I want to do is write about a dish that would require any sort of baking/grilling/roasting/broiling. I am all about chilled foods at the moment. So here is a salad that can definitely be used as a side, but I sometimes just eat a bowl of it for dinner. It is Linguine Salad Supreme!

I don’t know the origins of this salad (meaning, I have no idea where my mum got the recipe), but I grew up on it. It’s my favorite.

Grilling? Let’s make some Linguine Salad! Picnic? Why don’t we make some Linguine Salad? 4th of July? Oooh! Linguine Salad!

Here is criminally easy recipe:

• 1 lb linguine
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes, sliced and then cut into half-moon shapes (thin wedges) or use halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 large cucumber cut into very thin half-moon shapes
• 1/2 red onion thinly sliced and then cut into half-mood shapes
• 1 cup bottled Italian dressing
• Shit ton of McCormick Salad Supreme to taste.

So just cook the pasta–but not too much. You want the noodles to be extra-al dente since they will be soaking in the dressing. That’s the next step–drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water. Put in a bowl and toss it in the dressing and the Salad Supreme. Put the bowl in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. The longer the better, I think. Toss the linguine occasionally. About 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving, toss in the vegetables (this way they don’t get too soggy). Taste it. Add more Salad Supreme if you want. And voila! done.

See? Cheap. Easy. And my Safeway had all of the ingredients!

No. Scratch that. They didn’t have Salad Supreme. McCormick’s world headquarters are just outside of Baltimore and my Safeway doesn’t carry the key ingredient to this salad. What the hell?

So I had to MacGuyver it with the spices. Seemed like the closest thing they had at the store was a mix called Perfect Pinch: Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper. So I went with that. It was similar enough, I thought–garlic, red pepper (those are the ingredients in the perfect pinch), those are definitely in Salad Supreme. But what else…? I racked my brain.

AH! Poppy seeds. And sesame seeds. And cheese. And paprika. So I looked at my spice rack and went to town with the paprika and poppy seeds (no sesame seeds).

And how was it?

Delectable. The funny thing is–I actually liked this version better than with the Salad Supreme. The Perfect Pinch was a little spicy (those red pepper flakes!) and I didn’t miss the sesame seeds or the cheese at all (plus, who needs the extra fat?).

So here is my new, revised, even tastier (and slightly healthier version!)

Linguine Salad Supreme Light

• 1 lb whole wheat/whole grain linguine
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes, sliced and then cut into half-moon shapes (thin wedges)  or use halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 large cucumber cut into very thin half-moon shapes
• 1/2 red onion thinly sliced and then cut into half-mood shapes
• 1/3 cup fat free Italian dressing
• 1/3 cup regular Italian dressing
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 3 tbsp McCormick Perfect Pinch Roasted Garlic & Bell Pepper

Modify the measurements however you like. You might like a drier version or one that is really sopping with dressing.

I garnished mine with some pepperoncini, since this version has a bit of kick. You can put whatever kind of veggies you want in it. I think simple is best. I have found that when sliced black olives are put in a pasta salad, that flavor permeates the whole thing and the other veggies go missing. So I stay away from them.

And yes, can use spirally pasta or the little bow ties, but something about the fat linguine noodles really makes it. And that’s what we always had growing up.

Gosh, this was so good when I made it for the 4th of July that I might have to whip up a batch when I get home tonight and have it for over the weekend (this dish does travel well and holds up for leftovers. I ate it for lunch 4 days in a row a couple weeks ago).

So give it a go. Unless you’re really into turning on your oven when it’s over 95 degrees out. But hey, that’s your call.

Who am I to judge?