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Fish, Busy evenings

Pasta salad with surimi

Pasta salad with surimi is a cold dish for 4 people, ready in 25 minutes, very easy to make, for about €2.00 per person. It combines pasta, surimi, corn, tomatoes and cucumber in a mayonnaise sauce lightened with yogurt. The key is rinsing the pasta under cold water so it stays separate and soaks up the sauce without clumping.

Tonight it's pasta salad with surimi, colorful and crunchy, the one the kids scrape clean to the bottom of the bowl.

Pasta salad with surimi
Total time
25 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.00
Calories per person
520 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

This salad plays with texture, soft pasta, surimi that pulls apart into tender strands, crunchy cucumber and juicy tomatoes. The mayonnaise, yogurt and lemon sauce brings a tangy freshness without feeling heavy, and the chives add a green note that wakes everything up. Nothing here is complicated, but every ingredient earns its place.

It's the dish for summer evenings when nobody wants to spend long at the stove, and it works just as well made ahead for a picnic or next day's lunch. Kids love the surimi and corn, and they often scrape the bowl clean. Mon Chou suggests it for busy weeknights as much as for a weekend meal shared with the family.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Fusilli or small pasta shellsoften in the pantry 320 g
  • Canned cornoften in the pantry 150 g
  • Mayonnaiseoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fish counter

  • Surimi sticks 200 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Tomatoes 3
  • Cucumber 1
  • Lemon 1
  • Chives 1 sprigs

Dairy

  • Plain yogurt 1

Allergens Gluten, Fish, Eggs, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water, drain it and rinse it under cold water. 10 min

    Stop the cooking a minute before the package time, it finishes softening in the sauce.

  2. Cut the surimi into chunks, dice the tomatoes, and cut the cucumber into small cubes after seeding it.

    Remove the cucumber seeds with a small spoon, the salad won't release water at the bottom of the bowl.

  3. Mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the salad bowl.

    The yogurt lightens the mayonnaise and gives a fresher sauce, taste before adding salt since the surimi is already salty.

  4. Add the pasta, surimi, drained corn and vegetables, then mix gently.

    Pour the sauce over the pasta while it's still a bit warm, it absorbs it better.

  5. Sprinkle with chopped chives and let it rest in the fridge before serving. 15 min

    Fifteen minutes in the fridge is enough for the flavors to blend, no more or the pasta will soak up all the sauce.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the surimi at the last minute, it loses its texture quickly and can release a bit of water if it sits too long in the bowl.
  • Drain the corn well and carefully seed the cucumber, these are the two main sources of water that can dilute the sauce.
  • If you're making the salad ahead, save the chives for serving time so they keep their color and aroma.

The variations

  • Swap the surimi for flaked tuna or peeled shrimp for a different take that's just as quick.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the surimi with cubed fresh cheese or chickpeas, the corn and vegetables already give plenty of texture.
  • For kids, cut the ingredients into smaller pieces and serve the sauce on the side, some prefer to dress their own plate.

What to serve it with

  • A slice of whole grain bread
  • Chilled lemon water
  • A cold soup starter in summer

Storage

This salad keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It doesn't freeze well, the mayonnaise sauce and raw vegetables don't hold up to freezing. Take it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving, it tastes better slightly less cold.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this pasta salad the day before?

Yes, you can make it the day before and keep it chilled in a sealed container. Add the chives only when serving so they keep their full flavor.

Can you replace the mayonnaise with a lighter sauce?

You can increase the plain yogurt and reduce the mayonnaise, the sauce will be lighter but just as tasty. Taste and adjust the lemon and salt afterward.

Why do you need to rinse the pasta under cold water?

Rinsing stops the cooking and removes the starch that makes pasta stick together. Once cooled, it absorbs the sauce better without turning mushy.

Does this salad work for a picnic?

Yes, it travels well in an airtight container as long as it stays cool during the trip. Bring a small cooler if the journey is longer than an hour.

How long does it take to make a pasta salad with surimi?

Count 25 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a pasta salad with surimi?

About 520 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pasta salad with surimi cost?

About €2.00 per serving, or €8.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, fish, eggs, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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