This colorful Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad features marinated fresh mozzarella, olives, grape tomatoes and goat cheese, all tossed with a flavorful sundried tomato dressing. This is a delicious side dish!
It’s funny how the weather has a direct connection to my gut. I was so impressed by the summer temperatures around here that I made all sorts of warm-weather dishes, including this incredibly easy and incredibly delicious Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad.
The hardest part of making this salad is waiting for the pasta to cook. Once that’s done, it literally takes just a few minutes to throw it together. The secret of BIG flavor is in the dressing.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sun-dried tomato dressing – The extremely flavorful dressing consists of a jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil, extra virgin olive oil, whole garlic cloves, red wine vinegar and some Dijon mustard
- pasta – My favorite choices for this salad are spiral pasta like fusilli or rotini. The ridges hold on to the dressing and it looks so pretty. You can also substitute other short pasta like penne or bowtie pasta if you like.
- Marinated mozzarella – Look for marinated fresh mozzarella balls in the deli/gourmet cheese section of the grocery store. They’re great for salads!
- tomatoes – Either red cherry or grape tomatoes and a hint of color and sweet flavor.
- olives – A can of medium-sized pitted olives. If you’re not a fan of olives, below are some tasty variations.
- Cheese – Trust me, crumbled goat cheese goes perfectly with this sundried tomato dressing. My store carries jars of crumbled goat cheese in the deli/groumet cheese department, but you can buy a block and crumble it yourself. You can also substitute crumbled feta cheese or grated Parmesan cheese if you like.
- Fresh basil – Adds a summery kick of freshness.
variations
You can add or substitute any ingredients that suit your taste. So many things go well in this salad.
- Mediterranean inspired: Add some cucumber slices, peppers, artichokes, red onions and Kalamata olives to the salad.
- Spicy kick: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sun-dried tomato dressing to heat it up a bit.
- Nuts: Add some toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts for a crunchy texture.
- Protein: Make it a meal by adding grilled chicken, steak, or seafood.
- Fresh Green: Mix in a handful of baby spinach or arugula for even more color and texture.
How to prepare a pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes
Before you begin, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Place in a colander and rinse with cold water to quickly bring to room temperature. The noodles should be cool to the touch before mixing them with the other ingredients.
- Make the dressing: Place the sundried tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor along with all the oil from the jar. Add olive oil, garlic, vinegar and mustard and stir until smooth. The dressing is thick and pasty but coats the noodles well.
- Assemble the pasta salad: Toss the cooked and cooled pasta with the sun-dried tomato dressing, then add the remaining ingredients. Reserve half the goat cheese and basil to garnish the salad just before serving.
storage tips
Make Ahead – You can make this salad several hours in advance. Once assembled, simply cover and store in the fridge. To serve, mix and garnish with goat cheese and basil.
leftovers – Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.
More summery pasta salads you’ll love
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Pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes
This colorful Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad features marinated fresh mozzarella, olives, grape tomatoes and goat cheese, all tossed with a flavorful sundried tomato dressing. This is a delicious side dish!
Ingredients
For the dressing with sun-dried tomatoes
- 8th ounce A jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 2 cloves Garlic, (1 large or 2 small)
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
For the pasta salad
- 1 Pound dry spiral noodles, Fusilli or rotini
- 12 ounces marinated fresh mozzarella balls, well drained
- 1 heaped cup red cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 6 ounce Tin of medium sized black pitted olives, drained (do not slice)
- 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese, divided
- ⅓ Cup chopped fresh basil
instructions
Make the dressing with sun-dried tomatoes
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Place the sundried tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor along with all the oil from the jar. Add olive oil, garlic, vinegar and mustard and stir until smooth. The dressing will be thick and pasty.
Make the pasta salad
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Cook the noodles in salted water according to package directions. Drain and then rinse with cold water until cool. Drain very well and place in a large mixing bowl.
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Toss the cooled pasta with the sundried tomato dressing and stir until fully incorporated.
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Add the remaining ingredients through the goat cheese; Reserve half of the goat cheese for garnish. throw together. If you make it ahead of time, cover and put in the fridge.
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Just before serving, toss with the basil and garnish with the remaining goat cheese crumble.
Nourishment
Calories: 373 kcal · Carbohydrates: 25 G · Protein: 15 G · Fat: 25 G · Saturated Fatty Acids: 7 G · Polyunsaturated fat: 2 G · Monounsaturated fatty acids: 9 G · Cholesterol: 22 mg · Sodium: 497 mg · Potassium: 488 mg · Fiber: 3 G · Sugar: 1 G · Vitamin A: 648 IU · Vitamin C: 29 mg · Calcium: 203 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Nutritional information is automatically calculated using common ingredients and is an estimate, not a guarantee. Check your ingredient labels at home for more accurate results.
This post was originally published on March 28, 2015. It has been updated with new text and images.