Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Salad

I love a fresh tasting pasta salad and this one is full of greens, tomatoes and cannellini beans all dressed in a homemade, creamy sun-dried tomato dressing. The result is a scoop worthy, delicious pasta salad that is perfect for make ahead meals, or next day lunches.

Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Instead of putting the sun-dried tomatoes in the pasta salad, I wanted the flavor of them to infuse the entire dish. A quick 2 minute blender dressing does just that.

Ingredients:

• Orzo
  • You can use any pasta you like, but I love orzo for pasta salads. It holds vinaigrette well, and most of all because of how well it holds up in the refrigerator. Some larger styles of pasta can become chewy when refrigerated for too long.
  • Substitutions: Ditalini, Pearl Couscous.
• Greens
  • I used mix greens. This makes this half pasta salad, half salad. I love the texture and taste of adding greens to a hearty pasta salad.
  • Substitutions: Spinach, Swiss Chard.
• Cherry Tomatoes
  • Cherry tomatoes give a sweet pop to this salad.
  • Subsitutions: Grape tomatoes, Campari Tomatoes, Roma Tomatoes.
• Cannellini Beans
  • Soft and creamy, with a mild nutty flavor, these add protein and fiber.
  • Substitutions: Kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and butter beans.
• Shredded Mozzarella
  • Soft and subtle, but just salty enough to taste.
  • Substitutions: Monterey Jack, Fresh Mozzarella Pearls, Feta Cheese.

Recipe for Using Orzo in Pasta Salad

For the best results when using orzo to make pasta salad, be sure to rinse it in cold water after cooking while in the colander draining. Next, dry it well on a paper towel to remove excess moisture. You want the orzo to absorb the flavor of the dressing, not the water it was cooked in.

Once the orzo has been dried, place it in a bowl with the pasta salad ingredients, add the dressing, and toss!

Making Sun-dried Tomato Dressing

For this recipe we make a homemade sun-dried tomato dressing. I like to buy my sun-dried tomatoes from Trader Joes. They’re packed in oil, which is a great flavor addition to use in the dressing itself (versus plain olive oil). To make the dressing, you’ll need apple cider vinegar, oil from the sun-dried tomato jar, sun-dried tomatoes, honey, granulated garlic, salt, & pepper.

If you want to use store-bought dressing, Organicville makes one that is very good.

Serving & Storing Pasta Salad with Sun-dried Tomato Dressing

• You can store this for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Store it in a lidded container.
• If you plan on making this ahead of time for a gathering, here’s a couple tips:
  • 1) Wait to toss it until right before serving. This will keep the greens fresh, and keep the dressing from absorbing too much into the orzo.
  • 2) Add the greens as you serve it, almost like a salad topped with orzo.
• If you want to add more protein, you can serve this with chicken, shrimp, or even my favorite protein packed turkey poppers!

Why I Made this Recipe:

I love a simple pasta salad to go with dinners on busy weeknights. Then, we just need to worry about a protein on the side and dinner is done! My son is 5, and in school, gymnastics, and soccer and finding time to make rice or pasta on a weeknight just can be tough. I’ve always loved cold pasta salads but I wanted one with more flavor. This one is a great year round pasta salad recipe. I do have a specific Fall Couscous Salad and a Summer Orzo Salad to mimic the seasons. Maybe I need to make a Winter and Spring one, too!

More Weeknight Recipes for Busy Nights

• Tex Mex Sheet Pan Chicken Dinner
• Broccoli Cheddar Orzo
• Asian Ground Chicken
• Greek Tuna Salad
• Ground Turkey Smash Tacos (Greek Style)

Hope you love this recipe as much as I do! Also if you want these super convenient to go containers, they’re on Amazon for only $13.

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Cheers to easy, healthy meals! – Rachel