Al Fresco Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

This vibrant and ﬂavorful dish is perfect for summer gatherings, potlucks, or a refreshing lunch option. It combines the richness of sun dried tomatoes, the freshness of basil pesto, the creaminess of mozzarella balls, the peppery bite of arugula, and the brininess of olives, all tossed with perfectly cooked rotini pasta. The result is a refreshing, vibrant pasta salad bursting with Mediterranean ﬂavors. It’s perfect as a side dish or a light main course for those warm summer days.

Filed Under: Mediterranean Diet, Salads, Lunch, Vegetarian, Quick & Easy

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Total time

15 minutes

Yield

6 servings

Ingredients

Pasta Salad

8 ounces rotini pasta (preferably whole grain)

½ cup sun dried tomatoes in Olive Oil, drained and chopped

1 cup marinated artichokes and liquid

2 tablespoon olive oil (from the sun dried tomatoes)

8 ounces mozzarella balls, halved

2 cups fresh arugula

½ cup pitted olives, whole

salt and pepper to taste

Basil Pesto

2 large bunches of fresh basil, no stems

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves

¼ cup pine nuts

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

aalt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook the rotini pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside to cool on an baking sheet with a tablespoon of the reserved sun dried tomato olive oil.
In a small bowl, prepare the basil pesto by combining the garlic cloves and olive oil then pulse to create a puree. Next, add in fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Blend the ingredients together using a food processor or blender until a smooth pesto sauce forms. Set the pesto aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked rotini pasta, sun dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes (including the liquid), olive oil from the sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella balls, basil pesto, and pitted olives. Mix everything together until well combined.
Add the fresh arugula to the pasta salad and toss until all the ingredients are coated evenly with the pesto sauce. Adjust the amount of pesto based on your preference for ﬂavor.
Season the pasta salad with salt and pepper to taste. Remember that the sun dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes, and olives may already contain some salt, so adjust accordingly.
Allow the pasta salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the ﬂavors to meld together.
Serve the pasta salad chilled as a refreshing and ﬂavorful side dish or as a light main course.

Recipe and photo courtesy Chef Boragno for Mooney Farms.