Crispy Hot Honey Chili Pasta Salad
This crispy hot honey chili pasta salad is made with air-fried pasta tossed in spices, fresh crunchy vegetables, and a creamy hot honey dressing. It’s the perfect balance of crispy, fresh, creamy, and slightly spicy—making it an easy, viral-inspired recipe for summer meals, meal prep, or entertaining.
Servings 6
Ingredients
✨ For the Crispy Pasta
- 8 oz farfalle bowtie pasta
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt & black pepper to taste
For the salad
- Romaine chopped
- Persian cucumbers diced
- Red onion thinly sliced
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil chopped
- Green olives sliced
- Honey roasted pistachios chopped
for the dressing
- 2 –3 tbsp Lifeway kefir
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp hot honey or more to taste
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and let it cool slightly.
- Toss pasta with olive oil, chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Air fry at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden and crispy.
- In a bowl or jar, whisk together kefir, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sun-dried tomato oil, lemon juice, Dijon, hot honey, and seasoning until smooth and creamy.
- In a large bowl, combine romaine, cucumbers, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and pistachios.
- Add the crispy pasta, pour over the dressing, and toss until everything is coated.
- Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or hot honey if needed… then dig in!