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This simple Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad is a delicious recipe bursting with flavor. Minimal ingredients to chop. Uses reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in the dressing to give the most flavor to this salad that will steal the show!
Pasta salads are my love language. And adding sun-dried tomatoes into pasta salad only makes it that much better.
This Tortellini Caprese Pasta Salad is hands down the most popular on the site, but this recipe is up there as well for me!
If you love sun-dried tomatoes, you will love these Breakfast Sandwiches, Turkey Burgers as well as this Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta. Check them out as well!
Why You Will Love This Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad:
- It is SO EASY to prep. Minimal ingredients to chop and just a matter of tossing everything together once the pasta is ready. When I say this sun-dried tomato pasta salad is easy to make, I mean it!
- Easy to make into a complete meal. Toss in some beans or freshly grilled chicken or steak and you have yourself a full meal. I love to add these steak bites to mine instead of tossing them in the garlic butter.
- Packed with fresh veggies and ingredients. Lots of fresh spinach in every bites, fresh basil--straight from the garden if you are lucky! The fresh mozzarella doesn't hurt either! So much flavor from these ingredients!
- It has all the sun-dried tomato flavor! This pasta salad uses sun-dried tomatoes and the oil for the jar to make the dressing. For all the sun-dried tomato lovers out there, this is heaven!
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- pasta: any short pasta works great. I love rigatoni, tortellini or bow tie pasta especially. You could even use tortellini for extra heartiness and even more cheese.
- sun-dried tomatoes: you want the sun-dried tomatoes in oil with herbs for this recipe. The oil will be drained off and then added to the dressing for optimal flavor.
- spinach: fresh spinach, baby spinach is our favorite but you can chop regular spinach as well.
- tomatoes: I used to make this sun-dried tomato pasta salad without the tomatoes, but felt like something was missing. I don't find adding these to the dish makes for too many tomatoes since the sun-dried tomatoes are an entirely different flavor and texture.
- onion: red onion if what we love for extra color
- basil: this is a key ingredient for this sun-dried tomato pasta salad. For best results, do not skip this!
- mozzarella: fresh mozzarella versus shredded. I use the mozzarella pearls, smaller balls for this recipe but you can cut a mozzarella log into bite sized pieces as well.
- parmesan: I opt for shaved or shredded, but grated will work as well. I just love bigger pieces of parmesan in this dish.
- olive oil: You will add alive oil to the drained oil from the tomatoes. It will vary based on brand how much oil you get. I typically get at least ⅓ cup of oil from the tomatoes.
- vinegar: I opt for the flavor of balsamic in this recipe but used a white balsamic to lighten the color of the dressing. I didn't want the deep black of the balsamic mixed in with the red oil from the tomatoes
- Italian seasoning: if you don't have an Italian seasoning blend, combine equal parts dried oregano, oregano, thyme and basil. You can also add sage, marjoram, and parsley as well.
- garlic: freshly minced for best flavor
How to Make This Pasta Salad Recipe:
Whipping up this sun-dried tomato pasta salad is seriously SO SIMPLE. The only ingredients you need to chop is the basil and onion.
Start out by draining the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes so that can slowly separate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Cook the pasta and then drain and toss with the spinach to wilt. You can rinse the pasta with cool water to help it cool off a bit more quickly. It's ok to do that with the spinach already mixed in as well.
Add the chopped tomatoes, basil, onion, parmesan and mozzarella (only if the pasta is cooled enough otherwise the mozzarella will melt slightly) and toss to combnie.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour ¾ of it over the pasta salad and toss.
Chill the pasta salad until ready to serve, but for at least 30 minutes for best results, even though it can certainly be served immediately if desired.
Toss with remaining dressing just before serving. Enjoy!
Like I said, so easy!
Chef's Tips:
- Try not to over cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in this pasta salad al dente for best results. Overcooked pasta will become mushy and slimy when stirred in with the other ingredients.
- Allow the pasta to cool slightly before adding in the mozzarella. If you add the mozzarella too soon, it can melt down a little. To avoid this, I often add the mozzarella after the pasta salad has chilled for a bit. You can also toss it in cool water to cool off quickly, but the spinach won't wilt quite as well.
- Reserve ¼ of the dressing until ready to serve. cold pasta dries out a bit and the oil will solidify a bit in the refrigerator. Before serving, allow the pasta salad to sit out for about 30 minutes and then toss with reserved dressing. You can also just toss with some extra olive oil before serving if you don't have any reserved dressing.
- Storing this pasta salad: this salad is best eaten within 3-4 days of preparing it. As noted, toss in extra dressing or olive oil if dried out.
Optional Add-Ins:
I love this pasta salad as is, but I love to change it up from time to time with the addition of the following:
- pepperoni or bacon: add some mini pepperonis or sliced pieces of bacon
- pine nuts: I regularly like to top this pasta salad with about half cup of pine nuts. They are pricey so I don't always have them on hand.
- grilled veggies: this sun-dried tomato pasta salad is amazing with some fresh from the grill mushrooms and zucchini. Grilled peppers are great as well.
- grilled chicken or steak: cube freshly grilled chicken or steak for a hearty meal
- beans: kidney beans and cannellini are our two favorites to add. Chickpeas would be delicious as well.
Other Pasta Salad Recipes:
- Grilled Zucchini Pasta Salad
- Tortellini Caprese Salad
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Lemon Orzo Salad
- Tomato Basil Pasta Salad
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Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 oz. short pasta rigatoni, rotini, bow tie, etc.
- 3 oz. baby spinach
- 10 oz. cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 Jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil with Italian herbs, 8.5 oz oil drained
- ½ red onion small diced
- ½ cup shredded parmesan shaved or grated will work
- 8 oz. mozzarella pearls
- ⅓ c chopped basil packed
Dressing:
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil or enough to make ⅔ cup with oil from tomatoes
- ⅓ cup oil drained from sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 T balsamic vinegar regular or white
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Salt more or less to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. When pasta is cooked, drain and toss with spinach to wilt. Rinse with cool water to help cool it off more quickly or allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Toss pasta and spinach with chopped basil, onion, sun-dried tomatoes (julienned), cherry tomatoes, parmesan and mozzarella (if pasta is still pretty hot, wait to add the mozzarella until cooled off).
- Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss ¾ of it with pasta salad, reserving ¼ of the dressing if waiting to serve. Chill for about 30 minutes and then toss remaining dressing before serving.
Notes
- Try not to over cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in this pasta salad al dente for best results. Overcooked pasta will become mushy and slimy when stirred in with the other ingredients.
- Allow the pasta to cool slightly before adding in the mozzarella. If you add the mozzarella too soon, it can melt down a little. To avoid this, I often add the mozzarella after the pasta salad has chilled for a bit. You can also toss it in cool water to cool off quickly, but the spinach won't wilt quite as well.
- Reserve ¼ of the dressing until ready to serve. cold pasta dries out a bit and the oil will solidify a bit in the refrigerator. Before serving, allow the pasta salad to sit out for about 30 minutes and then toss with reserved dressing. You can also just toss with some extra olive oil before serving if you don't have any reserved dressing.
- Storing this pasta salad: this salad is best eaten within 3-4 days of
Chris says
I found this tasted more of olive oil than the sundried tomato oil sadly. I added extra red onion and fresh red cabbage, also tried adding some shredded chicken breast for a protein kick.
Perhaps I missed something with the measurements?? Any advice of how to save it welcomed.
Lorie says
Ok quick question, did you use sun dried tomatoes in Italian herbs?
Jessica says
Great recipe - very flexible! Thank you for sharing with us - my family loved it!
Lorie says
Happy to hear it Jessica!!
Lisa Smith says
Great Recipe! I added some grilled veggies and artichoke hearts. Also Olives. Delish!
Lorie says
So happy to hear! And I love the additions!
Laura Salzer-Wilczek says
Delicious and easy to make...I added grape tomatoes for color and used balsamic vinegar...maybe a little more balsamic!
Lorie says
Yum!! Love the additions. Glad you enjoyed it!