Mediterranean Pasta Salad With Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
Nothing says summer like a really good pasta salad. Quick and simple to make, all you need is pasta, an abundance of fresh vegetables, and a really good flavourful vinaigrette. Pasta salad is perfect for a light summer lunch, or for dinner as a side dish to anything grilled, and of course it makes a delicious addition to any summer picnic or potluck.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad with a Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette is a delectable combination of textures and flavours.
It starts with perfectly el dente pasta and a rich, earthy vinaigrette made with sundried tomatoes. The salad has an abundance of sweet cherry tomatoes, fruity Kalamata olives and creamy bocconcini. Radicchio adds a hint of bitterness, while crisp cucumbers provide some crunch.
The Vinaigrette
The intense sweet-tart flavour of the sundried tomatoes really shines through in this simple vinaigrette.
The sundried tomatoes are combined with a little Dijon mustard, oil, and vinegar to make a rich earthy dressing with hints of garlic, oregano, basil, and a bit of brininess from some capers.
To make the dressing, pop all the ingredients into a blender to combine, puree until silky smooth, or leave a little chunky as I like to do.
Equipment
- Blender
- large pot
Ingredients
Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes
- 2 tbsp oil from the sundried tomatoes
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp caper berries
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Pasta Salad
- 454 grams dried fusilli (rotini) pasta (or substitute penne, farfalle)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes ( cut any larger ones in half)
- 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 cup cucumber, sliced and cut in half
- 1½ cups mini bocconcini, halved
- 2 cup shredded or chopped radicchio
- fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the sundried tomato vinaigrette
- Place all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette except the salt and pepper into a blender. Puree until still a bit chunky, or perfectly smooth if you prefer. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prepare the salad.
Prepare the pasta salad
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until el dente, about 7 minutes. Drain well and place in a large salad bowl. While the pasta is still warm, add ⅔ of the dressing and toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the dressing. Set aside to come to room temperature.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, olives, cucumber, radicchio and bocconcini to the pasta and toss. Add the remaining dressing as needed.
- Serve garnished with fresh basil.