Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes

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This easy Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes has all the flavors of summer. The secret to the perfect dressing is a bit of olive brine and oil from the sun-dried tomatoes to punch up flavor of prepared pesto.

Using some pantry favorites like Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes along with feta cheese, this impressive pasta salad comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta.

close up of pesto dressed pasta salad on a white plate

I’ve been making this pasta salad for almost two decades. It was a huge hit for catered lunches, and is still an often requested dish for potlucks and family gatherings.

It is an impressive salad to bring for a summer party. It lasts for up to five days in the refrigerator and makes a great dish to have on hand for lunch or a quick summer meal.

I make this with prepared pesto from the grocery store most of the time, but if you would like to go the extra mile and make fresh basil pesto, I have the perfect recipe for you… Genovese Basil Pesto.

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Ingredients
How to Make Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes
Diana's Tips for Success
Top Tip
FAQs
Storage
Related
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Farfalle Pasta- This is also called bowtie pasta and is great for pasta salad because it is a bit thicker and stays firm when soaked with sauce.
Basil Pesto- Pesto has the beautiful color and flavor of basil with hints of lemon and salty cheese and pine nuts.
Kalamata Olives and Olive Brine- A delicious hit of salt and tangy vinegar balance out the rich flavor of basil. Adding olive brine to the pesto makes sure that every bite is balanced.
Sun-dried Tomatoes julienne and Oil - The flavor of sun-dried tomatoes is sweet and intense. The small pieces add a burst of flavor; the reserved oil infuses the sweetness into the dressing as well.
Feta Cheese- A little bit of cheese adds a creamy texture and a hint of zesty flavor.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes

How to Cook Pasta

In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water and 1 Tablespoon of salt to a boil.
Cook farfalle pasta in boiling, salted water according to package instructions.
When pasta is al dente, reserve ¼ cup of pasta water, and drain pasta.

basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives in a glass bowl and a small bowl of feta cheese above

Step 1

In a large bowl, make the pasta salad dressing. Add 1 cup of basil pesto, 1 Cup of Kalamata Olives, 8 ounces drained sun-dried tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons of olive brine, 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato oil, and combine.

pesto and sun-dried tomato dressing added to bowtie pasta in glass bowl

Step 2

Mix dressing ingredients with cooked, drained pasta and reserved pasta water while the pasta is still warm.

Cover loosely and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

feta cheese added to chilled pasta salad in glass bowl

Step 3

Once, the pasta is cool, add feta cheese and serve alongside your favorite summer dishes.

Hint: Cook the pasta al dente which means to leave the pasta a little bit firm or with bite. This will mean cooking for the shortest time on the package or taking away 1-2 minutes from the package instructions. This is extra important for pasta salad because it is going to have time to sit and absorb dressing while it cools. The dressing will continue to soften the pasta some.

Diana's Tips for Success

Top Tip

Mix the pasta salad dressing with hot al dente pasta. This will allow the pasta to absorb the flavorful liquids.

1 pound of pasta normally serves 8 people. This pasta salad dish is a bit rich and is typically served as a side dish. I usually get at least 12 portions per pound of pasta. This recipe is great for a potluck because a single recipe makes a lot of servings.

Make Pesto Pasta Salad up to 5 days ahead of time. Take it out of the refrigerator a half hour before serving to take some of the chill off of it. Reserve a little pit of pesto and add it before serving.

FAQs

How do I keep pasta salad from being too dry?

The Pasta may absorb most of the pasta salad dressing before it is served. Mix the hot pasta with most of the dressing and reserve some dressing and add right before it is served to make sure it tastes fresh and moist.

What kind of pasta is best for pasta salad?

The best pasta shapes for pasta salad are bite sized, and a little bit thicker like farfalle (bowtie) or fusilli (corkscrew). Avoid types of pasta that are long and thin like spaghetti or fettuccine.