Al Fresco Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
Overview
Chef Boragno created a delectable Sun Dried Tomato Pesto 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. Prepare to delight your senses with each forkful of our Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad. It's a true symphony of flavors that will leave you craving more!
Total Cook Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 5
Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 8 oz rotini pasta
- ½ c Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil, drained and chopped
- 1 c marinated artichokes and liquid
- 2 tbsp olive oil (from the sun dried tomatoes)
- 8 oz mozzarella balls, halved
- 2 c fresh arugula
- ½ c pitted olives, whole
- Salt and pepper to taste
Basil Pesto
- 2 large bunches of fresh basil, no stems
- 1 c extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- ¼ c pine nuts
- ¼ c freshly grated Parmesan
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- 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 tbsp 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.
