This is a twist on not one but two (!) picnic classics: tangy coleslaw and creamy pasta salad. The nutty sauce is inspired by Japanese goma (sesame seed) dressing, punctuated by zingy buttermilk. Even if your sesame seeds are labeled “toasted,” they can still benefit from another quick toast in a skillet to wake up their flavor—drawing out the deep aromas of the sesame seeds will really make or break this dressing. Lean on the pre-shredded coleslaw mix to save time and knife work. Best enjoyed cold, this hybrid is great on its own or paired with whatever you happen to pull off the grill. I love mini farfalle here, but your favorite small pasta will work fine; whatever shape you choose, I would recommend cooking the pasta until done (and not al dente), per the package instructions.
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What you’ll need
Mortar and Pestle
$30 At Amazon
Large Pot
$50 $37 At Amazon
Colander
$15 At Amazon
Small Skillet
$25 At Amazon
Pyrex 4-Cup Measuring Cup
$8 At Bed Bath and Beyond
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes (plus 1 hour for chilling)
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cook 8 oz. short pasta (such as mini farfalle, medium shells, or elbow macaroni) in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until slightly more tender than al dente (pasta should be tender but not mushy as it will firm up a little once cooled). Drain in a colander; rinse under cold running water to remove excess starch. Drizzle with a bit of toasted sesame oil (about 1 tsp.; this will prevent sticking) and toss to coat. Set aside.
Step 2
Toast ⅓ cup toasted sesame seeds in a dry small skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, until golden brown (like a milky tea) and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Immediately and carefully transfer to a mortar and pestle and coarsely grind until powdery (but not pasty), leaving some whole. (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, place in a resealable plastic bag and lightly crush with a rolling pin or pan.) Transfer to a large bowl and add 1 cup mayonnaise, ½ cup buttermilk, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; whisk to combine. Season sauce with freshly ground pepper and more salt if needed; set aside.
Step 3
Place one 16-oz. bag prepared coleslaw on a large cutting board; run a knife through 3 or 4 times to make the largest pieces smaller. Transfer to bowl with dressing and add reserved pasta; mix carefully and thoroughly to combine. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
Step 4
Just before serving, finely grate half of zest from 1 lemon directly over slaw. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice of 1 half over. Season with more pepper and squeeze in juice from remaining lemon half if desired. Gently mix slaw again and transfer to a large shallow bowl or platter. Finely grate remaining zest from lemon over and season with more pepper.
