Christmas Braai Pasta Salad
This braai pasta salad recipe brings a little chutney sweetness, gentle spice and plenty of crunch to Christmas lunch. A creamy lemon dressing catches in the pasta spirals, giving every forkful a lovely balance of fresh and tangy flavours.
Make it before the guests arrive, then leave it chilling while you get the fire going. Red pepper, golden corn and green herbs give the bowl festive colour without any fiddly decorating.
Why it works on a South African Christmas table
A cool pasta side is a welcome partner for smoky boerewors, chicken sosaties or grilled vegetables on a hot December afternoon. The familiar fruit chutney dressing also fits comfortably alongside cold roast meats at a relaxed Christmas buffet.
Ingredients
For the dressing
Instructions
- 1Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil and add the 10 ml salt. Tip in the fusilli and cook for approximately 10–12 minutes, checking the packet timing. It should be tender throughout without becoming soft or breaking apart.
- 2Empty the pasta into a colander and cool it under a gentle stream of cold water, turning it with a spoon. Drain thoroughly, then spread it over a clean shallow tray for 5 minutes so any remaining water can escape.
- 3Blot the diced cucumber with kitchen paper and check that the corn is well drained. Combine the cucumber, corn, red pepper and spring onions in a large serving or mixing bowl.
- 4Whisk the mayonnaise, yoghurt, chutney, lemon juice, mustard, curry powder and black pepper in a separate bowl. Taste the dressing and add a little salt if needed.
- 5Add the cooled pasta, parsley and chives to the vegetables. Pour over the dressing and turn everything together with two large spoons, lifting from the bottom to coat the pasta evenly.
- 6Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This chilling time is additional to the preparation and cooking times.
- 7Stir the salad once more before taking it to the table. If the pasta has absorbed much of the dressing, loosen it with 15–30 ml extra plain yoghurt, then check the seasoning. Serve chilled alongside your Christmas braai favourites.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 346 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 47.3 g
- Protein
- 9.3 g
- Fat
- 12.9 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.2 g
- Sugar
- 6.7 g
- Fibre
- 2.9 g
- Sodium
- 373 mg
- Cholesterol
- 21 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- For an easy head start, cook and cool the pasta and mix the dressing the evening before. Refrigerate them separately in covered containers, then add freshly chopped vegetables and assemble on Christmas morning.
- Keep a little extra chopped parsley and chives aside to scatter over the salad just before serving.
- At an outdoor braai, serve a small bowl and replenish it from the fridge or an ice-packed cooler. Keep the salad at 5°C or colder until serving; discard portions left out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when temperatures exceed 32°C.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a sealed container and eat within 2 days, provided the salad has been kept safely chilled.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes. Small shells, elbows or short penne work well. Use the same dry weight and follow the packet cooking time, checking that the pasta is tender before draining.
Is the chutney dressing spicy?
With mild fruit chutney and mild curry powder, it is gently warming rather than hot. For a spice-free version, leave out the curry powder and check that your chutney is mild.
How do I stop the salad becoming watery?
Remove the cucumber's soft seed core, blot the chopped cucumber and drain the corn thoroughly. Let the cooled pasta drain well too; water clinging to the spirals can dilute the dressing.
