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This Italian Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad with toasted pine nuts in a creamy balsamic dressing is a perfect crowd-pleaser for any summer party!
Seriously, can you imagine a BBQ party without pasta salad? It’s a must-have for me! With this sun-dried tomato pasta salad, you have a true crowd-pleaser.
The tanginess of the sun-dried tomatoes, the hearty goodness of pasta, the nutty flavors of the pine nuts, and the burst of fresh herbs all come together in perfect harmony. The creamy balsamic dressing adds a wonderful richness without overpowering the other ingredients. Plus, it’s so easy to make! Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a kitchen novice, you’ll find this recipe straightforward and rewarding.
I hope you enjoy making and savoring this sun-dried tomato pasta salad recipe as much as I do. It’s versatile and perfect for so many occasions, from casual family dinners to elegant picnics, potluck parties, or even as a quick lunch option at the office. Plus, you can easily prepare it the night before.
Ingredients
See recipe card for quantities.
- Pasta: I love this salad with farfalle (bowtie pasta). But you can use any short pasta you like. It’s delicious with penne, rigatoni, fusilli, or elbow macaroni.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: These give the salad an intense & irresistible tomato flavor. Use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil or vacuum-packed. The latter contains less oil and fewer calories. The fully dried ones in a bag are not suitable for this recipe.
- Pine Nuts: For crunch and a nutty flavor. Must be toasted!
- Spring Onions: Add a subtle onion flavor and are easier to digest than white or yellow onions.
- Fresh Herbs: For an aromatic touch and a fresh summery color. I love using a mix from my garden: fresh basil, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, dried ones will do in a pinch.
- Balsamic Dressing: Perfect for pasta salad. Made with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Feel free to add finely chopped garlic if you like.
Variations
- Arugula: Mix in some arugula for a pleasant sharpness.
- Olives: Mixed or Kalamata olives are a great addition.
- Fresh Tomatoes: If you have fresh cherry tomatoes, add them to the salad. They add a fresh note and make the salad juicier.
- Cheese: Mix in some shaved Parmesan cheese, feta cheese, or fresh mozzarella cheese.
- Pesto: A spoonful of pesto (basil or sun-dried tomato) in the pasta salad dressing adds an extra flavor dimension.
- Extra Flavor: Drizzle with balsamic glaze before serving!
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta or lentil/chickpea pasta.
Save Some Pasta Water: Save a bit of the pasta cooking water to stretch the dressing. This way, it won’t be dry, especially if you prepare it in advance, and you won’t need unnecessary amounts of olive oil and vinegar.
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
This pasta salad can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge, allowing the flavors to meld together.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It stays fresh for up to 2 days.
More Summer Salad Recipes
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 6, 2019. It was republished with new images and more helpful content on June 26, 2024.
📖 Recipe
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
Click on the stars to leave a vote!
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 7 oz bow tie pasta or short pasta of choice
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil or vacuum-packed, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp pine nuts toasted
- 1-2 spring onions sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh garden herbs I love basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley
Balsamic Dressing
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup or honey
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the packet instructions in boiling salt water until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- Toast pine nuts in a skillet without oil for 5 minutes until golden brown.
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- In a large salad bowl, combine all the salad ingredients. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss well. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil or vacuum-packed. The vacuum-packed ones have less oil and fewer calories. Fully dried ones in a bag are not suitable for this recipe.
- Make-Ahead: This salad can be made up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge until needed. Hint: I like to take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving!
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Tip: Save some pasta cooking water to stretch the dressing. This prevents the salad from drying out, especially if you make it in advance, and reduces the need for excessive olive oil and vinegar.
Made this for some guests we had over and it was devoured by everyone. Will definitely be making this again!
So glad to hear, Felicia! 💕
My ENTIRE non-vegan family absolutely loved it!! They would’ve finished it all off, but I had to set some aside for my brother to taste. 😄
So glad to hear, Magdalena! 💕