Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad (Printable Format)
Mediterranean pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, basil and a tangy olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 9 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
→ Vegetables & Herbs
02 - ⅔ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
06 - ½ cucumber, diced
07 - ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Cheese
09 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - ½ tsp dried oregano
15 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Set aside to drain thoroughly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, sliced sun-dried tomatoes, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, halved Kalamata olives, diced cucumber, chopped basil, and chopped parsley until evenly distributed.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until the dressing is smooth and well emulsified.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly until every component is evenly coated with the dressing.
05 - Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese, taking care not to break it down too much. Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Alternatively, serve immediately at room temperature.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It comes together in the time it takes the pasta to boil, which means dinner is basically done before you finish setting the table.
- The dressing doubles as a marinade for any leftover vegetables you want to throw in tomorrow.
02 -
- If you dress the salad while the pasta is even slightly warm the oil will melt right off and pool at the bottom of the bowl instead of coating anything.
- The salad actually tastes better on day two after the pasta has soaked up the dressing overnight, but it rarely survives that long in my fridge.
03 -
- Save a tablespoon of the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar and whisk it into the dressing for an extra layer of concentrated tomato flavor that nothing else can replicate.
- Make the dressing first and let it sit while the pasta cooks so the dried oregano has time to rehydrate and the garlic mellows in the acid.