Cold Pasta Salad with Rosemary Pangrattato

A picnic bowl you’ll keep going back to

Every year, I wait for this time in February.

When the weather is just perfect. Trees are in bloom. The sky finally shows a hint of blue. Delhi feels softer. Lighter.

And in my head, that always means one thing — picnic season.

There’s something about unpacking containers under a tree and passing around food that doesn’t need reheating or fussing over. Food that travels well. Food that tastes even better after it’s had a little time to sit.

This Cold Pasta Salad with Rosemary Pangrattato is exactly what I’d bring.

It’s creamy, but not heavy. Greek yogurt gives it body without making it greasy. Mushrooms are cooked down until soft and earthy. Red onions add bite. Garlic brings warmth. Lemon zest keeps everything lifted.

But the real hero?

The rosemary pangrattato.

Not garnish. Not optional. Not decorative.

It’s what gives this dish texture and depth. Toasted breadcrumbs with rosemary and parmesan — nutty, salty, herby, and crisp enough to cut through the creaminess. Every bite needs that crunch. Without it, the pasta is good. With it, the pasta is memorable.

Don’t skimp on it. In fact, make extra.

This salad sits happily in a box, holds up beautifully outdoors, and tastes even better after an hour or two. If you’re packing it for a picnic, carry the pangrattato separately and sprinkle just before serving for maximum crunch.

Every picnic needs that one bowl people keep going back to.

For me, this is it.

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Ingredients

• 250 grams pasta of your choice, cooked in well-salted water according to instructions

• 250 grams button or cremini mushrooms, sliced thin

• 1 cup Greek yogurt (or hung curd)

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1/2 large red onion, finely chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 slices white bread (crusts removed)

• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary (or 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary)

• 1.5 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Step 1
Remove the crusts from the bread and blitz into coarse crumbs.

Step 2
In a pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil, toast the breadcrumbs until golden, turning to brown evenly. Add rosemary and cook until deeply golden and fragrant. Set aside.

Step 3
In another pan with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, cook mushrooms until soft and lightly caramelised. Add onions and cook until glossy. Stir in garlic and cook just until fragrant.

Step 4
Add the cooked pasta to the mushroom mixture and toss well. Turn off the heat and fold in the Greek yogurt.

Step 5
Add lemon zest, salt, and