You May Be Guilty Of Bobby Flay's Pasta Salad Pet Peeve

There are so many different ingredients you can add to pasta salad, and it's often considered a handy way to use up leftover bits in the refrigerator. But, if you tend to just throw in a heap of different meats, fish, cheeses, herbs, and vegetables, then you're making a huge mistake — at least, according to Bobby Flay. In his opinion, adding lots of elements doesn't always make for a better result.

"For some reason, when people make pasta salads, they feel like they have to put in 500 ingredients," Flay said in a TikTok video for Misfits Market. Rather, the chef's advice for making a great pasta salad is simple: "Be focused." Streamlining the list of items means each one gets a chance to really shine, and gives a more professional overall result.

When there are only a few components in a dish like this one, a good technique is especially important as there's nowhere to hide. Flay says that when people make pasta salads at home, they are almost always under-seasoned. That's why it's vital to get the basics right, including seasoning: The cooking water should be amply salted, and don't forget to add plenty of salt and pepper to the cooked pasta. Taste as you go to ensure the balance is right, and make sure you choose additional ingredients that are also full of flavor.

Bobby Flay's go-to pasta salad celebrates two robust ingredients: earthy savory mushrooms and rich sweet roasted garlic. He includes a variety of wild mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake, and portobello, and uses the garlic to make a punchy dressing spiked with mustard. With so few elements, you can afford to be generous with the quantities. Flay uses pretty much the same amount of fungi as pasta, which ensures there's good flavor and texture in every bite, and he roasts a full bulb of garlic to add a deliciously caramelized taste to the dressing.

If you're similarly mindful of how different elements work together when making pasta salad, you won't have any particular ingredients overpowering the others. Flay adds creamy yet tangy goat cheese, scallions, and fresh bright parsley to his mushroom and garlic version. A touch of umami-rich Parmigiano-Reggiano or parmesan cheese can also infuse the dish with salty, nutty notes, and will bring everything together in harmony.

If you're not into mushrooms, choose a few alternative key ingredients that pair well together for a superior pasta salad. That might be a combo of milky mozzarella with salty capers and juicy sweet tomatoes, or sweet meaty shrimp with tangy Greek yogurt, aromatic dill, and tart lemon juice. Just follow Flay's advice, and maintain focus — which means ignoring the temptation to raid the fridge and toss in any additional items just because they're there.

Just as it's important to choose the right pasta shape for your sauce when serving noodles hot, it's also key to choose the right type for pasta salads if you want to maximize the flavor. Bobby Flay favors fusilli, farfalle, or orecchiette, all of which work well because all the little nooks and crannies allow the dressing and seasoning to fully cling to every piece. Avoid long thin noodles such as spaghetti or linguine, which are more difficult to eat as well as not the best vehicle for the dressing or other chunkier ingredients.

Once Flay's pasta is cooked, he uses the sheet pan hack to quickly cool pasta salad, and strongly advises against running water over the noodles. While this may help reduce the temperature faster, it can mean the pasta becomes waterlogged, and the texture will be less appetizing. Not only that, it washes off the starch you need to help the flavorful dressing adhere better to the pasta's surface.

As an alternative to traditional pasta salads, switch up the regular carby component for something a little more unusual. Flay likes to pair couscous with ratatouille, creamy mozzarella, and a balsamic vinaigrette, or quinoa with asparagus, goat cheese, and briny black olives (via YouTube). You could also try orzo with Mediterranean vegetables, chickpeas, and a zingy lemon dressing. Whatever you choose, let the simple ingredients steal the show — and resist the urge to add in a huge cast of extras.