Get the Recipe: Italian Pasta Salad with Balsamic Dressing
A delicious cold Italian pasta salad, with sun dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers, all in a garlic balsamic dressing.
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry penne pasta, or other short pasta (about 2 1/2 cups dried penne)
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped *see Note 1 below
- 3/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley and/or basil, or a mixture of both, finely chopped
Balsamic Dressing:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, (You can replace 1 Tablespoon of olive oil with a Tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomatoes!)
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, optional *see Note 2 below
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
- 2 Tablespoons dried basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, finely crumbled *see Note 3 below
- freshly ground pepper
- additional salt , as needed
When serving:
- 1-2 handfuls baby arugula , or baby spinach or baby kale leaves, added before serving.
Instructions
- Cook the 8 oz dry penne pasta (or other short pasta (about 2 1/2 cups dried penne)) in salted water until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Drain well and add to a large bowl.
- While the pasta is cooking, chop the 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (finely chopped *see Note 1 below), 3/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers (finely chopped) and 1/3 cup fresh parsley and/or basil (or a mixture of both, finely chopped). Once the cooked and rinsed pasta is added to a bowl, add the prepared sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and parsley/basil to the bowl.
- Prepare the balsamic dressing by combining 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil ((You can replace 1 Tablespoon of olive oil with a Tablespoon of oil from the sun-dried tomatoes!)), 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1-2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar (optional *see Note 2 below), 1/8 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes, 2 Tablespoons dried basil leaves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, 1 clove garlic (finely minced), 1/3 cup feta cheese (finely crumbled *see Note 3 below), freshly ground pepper, additional salt (as needed) all ingredients in a bowl or jar and mixing or shaking well to combine. Set aside.
- Pour the balsamic dressing over the salad and toss well to combine. Season with some freshly ground pepper and salt, as needed. *The mixture may seem a bit liquid at this point, but the pasta will absorb the dressing as it chills.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before serving, add 1-2 handfuls baby arugula (or baby spinach or baby kale leaves, added before serving.) to the bowl and toss to combine well. This salad will keep in the fridge well for several days.
Notes
Note 1: Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil are recommended, though you can use reconstituted dried sun-dried tomatoes.
Note 2: I like to bust out my best balsamic for this balsamic dressing. As finer balsamic vinegars can lean more sweet, I like to add a splash of red wine vinegar as well, if I think the dressing needs a bit more acidity. Taste before adding the red wine vinegar and judge if it's needed or not.
Note 3: I love feta in this salad. I know feta seems more like a Greek thing than an Italian one, but I have just found that the typically Italian Parmesan cheese gets lost in the other strong flavours. Feta holds its own and provides a nice salty note. That said, a stronger cheese like Asiago, finely chopped or crumbled, would probably work nicely, or maybe go with the classic bocconcini. Goat cheese would be another good option.
If making this salad ahead, hold back the arugula and add it closer to serving.
This salad is chock-full of flavour and goodies, so it's a little goes a long way in this pasta salad. This recipe will serve 4-6 as a side easily. You can double or triple it if you're feeding a crowd.
Be sure to read the notes and tips above this Recipe Card for more tips on making this recipe!
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 365kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 354mg, Potassium: 515mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 582IU, Vitamin C: 17mg, Calcium: 116mg, Iron: 3mg
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