A picnic-ready pasta salad built around our cold-smoked muhammara
Some things just shouldn't be rushed — and this pasta salad is no exception. It's the kind of dish you make the night before a picnic, forgotten about in the fridge, and rediscovered the next day even better than you left it. Charred zucchini, peppers, and red onion meet short pasta in a dressing built straight from a jar of our Smoked Muhammara — no measuring out separate spices, no last-minute blending. Just smoke, walnut, and balsamic depth, doing the work a dressing should.
WHY THIS WORKS
● The muhammara is cold-smoked before it's blended, so the smokiness carries through the whole dressing rather than sitting on top of it like a char flavor would.
● Grilled vegetables and pasta both take dressing better once they've cooled — this salad is built to rest, not to be served hot off the grill.
● Balsamic vinegar in the muhammara itself means the dressing doesn't need much doctoring — a squeeze of lemon and a swirl of olive oil bring it to pourable consistency.
INGREDIENTS
● 454g (1 lb) short pasta — fusilli or orecchiette
● 2 zucchini, sliced lengthwise
● 2 red bell peppers, quartered
● 1 red onion, cut into thick rounds
● 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
● 6 tbsp olive oil, divided
● 3/4 cup Fume-eh Smoked Muhammara
● Juice of 1 lemon
● 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
● 1 garlic clove, minced
● 150g feta, crumbled
● ⅓ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
● ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
● 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
● Salt and black pepper, to taste
METHOD
1. Cook the pasta — Boil in salted water until just al dente. Drain, toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, and spread on a tray to cool to room temperature.
2. Grill the vegetables — Brush the zucchini, peppers, and red onion with 3 tbsp olive oil, season, and grill over medium-high heat until charred and tender, about 4–5 minutes per side.
3. Chop and combine — Let the vegetables cool slightly, chop into bite-sized pieces, and toss into a large bowl with the cherry tomatoes.
4. Build the dressing — Whisk the Smoked Muhammara with the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and garlic until smooth and pourable. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Toss and dress — Add the cooled pasta to the vegetables, pour the dressing over, and toss until everything is evenly coated.
6. Finish and chill — Fold in most of the feta, walnuts, parsley, and mint, reserving a little of each for garnish. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
7. Pack and serve — Transport in an airtight container in a cooler bag. Scatter the reserved feta, walnuts, and herbs on top just before serving — this one is meant to be enjoyed cool or at room temperature, never hot.
NOTES FROM THE KITCHEN
Grill the vegetables and cook the pasta a day ahead — the flavors only deepen overnight. If the dressing thickens in the fridge, loosen it with a little more olive oil or lemon juice before tossing. For a heartier picnic main, add grilled halloumi; for a softer bite, swap in orzo.
Made in small batches in Burnaby, BC, the way we'd want it made for our own table.
#FumeEh #ServeItLikeThis #SmallBatch #ColdSmoked #MadeInBC