The Unexpected Fruit You Should Be Adding To Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is an ideal side dish for a picnic. While a typical pasta salad recipe includes a mix of vegetables,  adding some fruit is a surprisingly sweet touch and can liven up your plate with extra flavor. Savory pasta salads, like an over-the-top BLT-inspired salad, are delicious, but one fruit in particular makes an unexpectedly great addition to this dish: blueberries.

To add blueberries to your salad, start by choosing the tastiest pint of blueberries at the store. Be on the lookout for a plump shape, fresh smell, and an absence of mold. Next, decide how you want to incorporate this versatile fruit into your salad. Whether you want to add the berries straight into the pasta salad itself or make a blueberry vinaigrette, either technique will give your pasta salad a unique, memorable taste. 

If you're looking to make the fruit the star of the show, the blueberry dressing is the way to go. To make it, you'll need some mashed blueberries, the seasonings of your choice, and simple ingredients like vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, and olive oil. This combination makes for a vinaigrette that is sweet, tangy, and perfectly refreshing. Just make sure to put the dressing on just before you're ready to serve so the salad doesn't get soggy.

If you're looking to use whole blueberries as an ingredient in your pasta salad, there are a number of complementary additions you can choose to pair. To start, chopped bell peppers and feta cheese are two unlikely but delicious ingredients for a blueberry pasta salad. Feta is an especially great choice since the tartness of the blueberries balances out the tangy bite of the feta. 

For the ultimate summer salad, add grilled peaches and arugula to your pasta salad along with the blueberries. Grilled peaches and blueberries offer a sweetness that balances the peppery bite of arugula. Surprisingly, blueberries also pair well with vegetables like broccoli and red onion, as the fruit offers the perfect amount of sweetness that won't overpower those savory ingredients.

Not all fruits are ideal to include in fruit salads, but blueberries are one choice that will not disappoint. If you're looking to wow your guests with a unique plate, blueberry pasta salad is a must-try. For all those who are making this pasta salad in advance, or have leftovers, just don't forget to store the dish in an airtight container in the fridge to keep it fresh.