Summer Acini Di Pepe Pasta
This Acini de Pepe Pasta Salad is filled with fresh summer veggies and uses a simple technique to guarantee it is perfectly dressed with yogurt-Parmesan sauce – never dry!
Summertime Acini De Pepe
Growing up in the Midwest in the 80’s, pasta salad usually meant either macaroni salad with celery/onion/mustard/Miracle Whip, or pasta salad with Italian dressing (still a great move).
But, I’m thankful that all kinds of pasta shapes are available at the grocery store now, including a tiny little shape called acini de pepe (also spelled acini di pepe).
This unique pasta shape is perfect for a cold pasta salad filled with vibrant summer vegetables. Our recipe has a light, fresh dressing made with Greek yogurt, Parmesan cheese and dill that has had over 40,000 people coming back for another scoop.
Why You’ll Love This Acini Di Pepe Recipe
- You can easily customize this for whatever vegetables you happen to have on hand.
- Ready in just a few simple steps, it’s a breeze to prepare.
- You can make it in advance but it will taste like it’s freshly made, thanks to the two-step dressing technique.
Ingredients for Summer Veggie Acini De Pepe Pasta
- acini de pepe pasta – believe it or not, you only need 1 cup of this pasta to make 8 hearty servings of this salad. It sounds like it’s not enough, but trust me, it is.
- Greek yogurt – half of the base for the creamy sauce, this also brings the tang!
- mayonnaise – the other creamy element for the sauce.
- Parmesan cheese – you’ll want grated, not shredded, for a dose of umami goodness.
- dill – I prefer fresh dill, but you can also use half the amount of dried dill.
- salt and pepper – crucial for seasoning any pasta salad.
- olive oil – for sauteeing the asparagus.
- asparagus – this crisp and slightly bitter vegetable really balances the creamy sauce.
- bell pepper – I chose an orange one for color contrast, but any color of bell pepper works here.
- corn kernels – you can use frozen corn, or cut the kernels from a few fresh ears of corn. You don’t need to cook them first.
- grape tomatoes – add a burst of juiciness and acidity to this acini de pepe recipe.
How To Make Acini Di Pepe Pasta Salad
1. COOK PASTA. Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of boiling water. Drain the pasta, rinse it with cold water, then drain it again.
2. DRESSING. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the yogurt, cheese, mayonnaise, dill, salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Place half of the dressing in a small covered bowl and refrigerate it separately until ready to serve the salad.
3. ASPARAGUS. Saute the asparagus with a bit of oil and salt in a large skillet until it’s tender-crisp.
4. TOSS. Add the bell pepper, corn, tomatoes, asparagus and pasta to the remaining dressing left in the large bowl and toss to combine. For the best flavor, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
5. FINISH. Just before serving, add the reserved dressing to the salad and toss until well combined.
Make This Acini Di Pepe Pasta in Advance
This acini de pepe pasta salad is perfect for making ahead of time. In fact, the flavor really improves if you allow it to sit in the fridge for at least a few hours before serving.
Acini De Pepe Salad Home Chef Tips
- Acini di pepe pasta can be found with the rest of the pasta options in most grocery stores. If your favorite pasta brand doesn’t sell pepe, just be sure to browse the other brands, and you should be able to find it.
- Here in the United States (Michigan, to be exact) the two brands of acini de pepe pasta that I most commonly find at stores are DeCecco (blue and yellow box) and DeLallo (small clear bag with a white and blue label).
- If asparagus isn’t your thing, try snap peas, green beans, or finely chopped broccoli.
What to Serve With Acini Di Pepe
While I’m often tempted to eat this acini de pepe salad completely on its own as my main meal, it also pairs really well with a variety of main dishes. Some of my favorites are:
- GRILLED MEATS – acini di pepe pasta salad is great alongside grilled pork tenderloin, root beer ribs, grilled chicken that has been marinated in buttermilk chicken marinade, burgers, Sonoran hot dogs and more.
- SANDWICHES – this is an excellent side dishes for sandwiches, including my salmon sandwich and ham and turkey sliders.
- PICNIC FOOD – a menu of pigs in a blanket, deviled eggs and pasta salad sounds ideal, doesn’t it?
How to Store Acini De Pepe Pasta Salad
If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight storage container and keep them in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Give the salad a good stir before serving again.
Acini De Pepe FAQs
Acini de pepe and Israeli couscous look similar due to their small, round shapes, but they are different types of pasta. Acini di pepe is an Italian pasta made from semolina flour, while couscous is made with crushed durum wheat semolina. While they are not interchangeable in ALL recipes, you may use Israeli couscous in this pasta salad if you cannot find acini de pepe pasta.
Acini di pepe is round and resembles tiny pearls, while pastina means “little pasta” and comes in shapes like stars or little tubes. Both are often used in soups and salads.
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Summer Vegetable Acini De Pepe Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup acini di pepe pasta
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ bunch asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 orange bell pepper finely chopped
- 1 cup corn kernels thawed if frozen
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
Instructions
- Heat large pot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
- Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together yogurt, cheese, mayonnaise, dill, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Place half of dressing in small covered bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve salad.
- In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add asparagus and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
- Add bell pepper, corn, tomatoes, pasta and asparagus to remaining dressing in large bowl and toss until well combined. For best flavor, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 3 days before serving.
- Just before serving, add reserved dressing to salad and toss until well combined.
This was an excellent side dish for a Michigan summer. You were spot on with the dinner diagnosis / summary – grilled protein and cool salad. The flavor of the Parmesan dressing pops and the fresh veggies are tasty / have nice texture. Great recipe.
I’m all about the pasta salads during the summer and I haven’t tried pepe pasta yet. I’m going to have to seek this out because I do love the small type pastas.
Look for De Cecco brand. I’m sure other brands carry it, but I know that one consistently does.
I don’t think I have ever tried this shape. It’s nuts how many pasta shapes are out there and I feel like traditional grocery stores don’t even cover like 25% of them compared to markets in Italy! Love how you made this creamy but still good for you with the Greek yogurt 🙂
I know! It took me a few minutes to locate the pepe, and while I was, I was seriously in awe of all the different shapes. Like, they sell STARS. The kind you’d see in chicken and stars soup, but you can make it yourself! They also sell HALF SIZE spaghetti. I think it’s called “pot size” or something. For people who are too lazy to break normal spaghetti in half, I guess?
This looks so fresh and delicious! A must-have for summer BBQs this season!
Thanks for stopping by, Alida!
Sounds delicious! I would have to use Israeli couscous because this kind of pasta has not been seen in Albertsons in El Paso (I will check again, though). Question: is the couscous an equal substitution?
The only pasta brand at my store that carries pepe is De Cecco, so if you can find that brand, you may want to look there. Otherwise, Israeli couscous works just the same, and you can use it in the same amount. Have a great weekend, Susan!
Thanks, Lori. We do have De Cecco brand, AND, we’re headed for the east coast at the end of next week, where they have better grocery stores, so I’ll check there, too. Hope you have a great weekend, too.
Susan
I love those baby pasta varieties, they really let the veggies and cream shine through.
I agree, Heidi. In fact, as I was looking for pepe, I saw the little star pasta variety, and almost grabbed that too!
This looks fantastic! I’ve never had pepe pasta, but heck, I’d try any kind of pasta or starch if it’s covered with that creamy dill dressing!
My thoughts on pasta salad exactly 🙂
Lori – This looks so yummy and healthy. I love how you used greek yogurt in this dip. Anything with dill in it makes me a happy girl!
Thanks, Erin. By all means, add a little extra dill if you’d like 😉