Hot Dog Pasta Salad
Posted on: July 31, 2024. Updated on: July 31, 2024.
by Carolina Gelen
Table of Contents
Hot dog pasta salad, pool-side salad, summer grill salad, call it what you want! This recipe was born after having to use up that extra pack of hot dogs I bought for a summer barbecue. This pasta salad promises flavor: the final result will remind you of a summer grill plate. We’ve got charred sweet corn, crispy hot dog slices, tart sun-dried tomatoes, savory, crunchy celery and lots of cherry tomatoes and red onion.
The dressing is what sets this pasta salad apart: sun-dried tomato oil brings an inviting sweetness to the salad and is infused with garlic, oregano and chili flakes, then emulsified with mustard and vinegar for a silky smooth texture. But, if you don’t feel like making the Italian dressing from scratch, use a cup of store-bought Italian dressing instead.
How to make this hot dog pasta salad vegan or gluten-free?
To make this salad vegan, simply substitute the beef hot dog for a plant-based alternative.
To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta instead of the traditional kind or substitute the pasta for some canned beans like garbanzo beans or Great Northern.
Looking for more recipes?
Check out this spicy watermelon salad, honey lemon meatballs or roasted lemon pepper salmon with leeks.
Hot Dog Pasta Salad
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Ingredients
Italian Dressing
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato oil (from the jarred sun-dried tomatoes)
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- Salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup sherry or red wine vinegar
Salad
- 3 cups (10 ounces or 285g) short pasta, such as shells, elbow, shellbow, etc.
- 12 oz (350g) jumbo hot dogs, 1-cm (1/2-inch) slices
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or neutral oil, plus more as needed
- 3 corn on the cob
- 1/3 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups (10 ounces) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 12 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
Instructions
- Make the dressing: To a medium (2 to 4-cup) heatproof container (jar, measuring cup, etc.), add the mustard and grated garlic clove. To a small saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil, sundried tomato oil, and bring to a sizzle, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat off. To the warm oil, add the sliced garlic, oregano, chili flakes, a hefty pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Infuse for 3 to 5 minutes, until fragrant. Slowly stream the oil in the mustard mixture while vigorously whisking to emulsify. Once the spiced oil has been incorporated, slowly stream the vinegar and vigorously whisk until combined. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with a big pinch of salt. Add the pasta, and cook, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta through a colander, then drizzle with a little bit of oil to prevent it from sticking. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Cook the hot dogs: Heat a large, 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the hot dogs, the avocado oil and cook, stirring occasionally until the hot dogs develop crispy edges, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the hot dogs from the skillet and add them to a large mixing bowl where you will be making the salad.
- Cook the corn: To the same skillet over medium heat, add the corn. Cook until the corn is charred on one side, about 5 minutes, then rotate and repeat on another side. Some parts of the corn will be charred, some barely cooked. Place the corn on a cutting board and slice off the kernels. Add the corn to the bowl.
- Add the chopped onion to a sieve. Run the sieve under cold water to rinse the onion. This will remove some of that raw harsh taste onions tend to have and enhance its sweetness.
- Make the hot dog pasta salad: To the large salad bowl, add the onion, celery, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and cooked pasta. Season with a hefty pinch of salt. Pour the dressing and toss to combine.
I made this today and it was such a yummy balance of sweet, salty, and acidic flavors! 😊
I subbed dill pickle juice for the vinegar and yellow mustard for the Dijon. This salad is sooooo good!