I was really intrigued by this recipe! I love a good pasta salad and the idea of one with roasted (and sun-dried) tomatoes sounded like a really different take on the usual.
I did make a few adjustments both for what I had on hand (I’m growing oregano this year, not basil) and what I thought would work better. Cherry tomatoes are more evenly distributed in the salad than cut-up roasted Roma. They are also juicier which I felt added to the “dressing” of the salad.
I don’t love sundried tomatoes in oil so I used dry packed and soaked them in oil to rehydrate them and infuse the oil a little. I think this makes more sense than draining off the oil from a jar of oil-packed sundried tomatoes and leaving the leftovers to dry out. I used jarred roasted peppers to double up on that roasted flavor and to avoid using bell peppers which frankly I don’t enjoy and I didn’t think went with the other flavors. I added red onion instead of green onions for more of a bite and some texture interest.
This really is a salad for tomato lovers! Every bite had a ton of tomato flavor. I loved how the roasted tomatoes really absorbed the flavors of the garlic and oregano I roasted them with.
My only quibble is that it does take a long time to make between roasting the tomatoes and letting them cool before you can make the salad. I did not experiment with roasting the tomatoes ahead of time but that might help the day of time commitment. Nothing was difficult at all and I’d say it was worth the effort, it just took some time.
Pasta Salad with Two Tomato Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ¼ cup whole dry-packed sundried tomatoes
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 lb cherry tomatoes I used a mix of red and yellow grape and cherry tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- handful fresh oregano leaves
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup halved Kalamata olives
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
- 10 oz small pasta cooked according to package instructions I used cavatappi
- 1 jarred roasted red pepper chopped
- ½ red onion sliced into half moons
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450. Soak the sundried tomatoes in the oil for at least 15 minutes.
- Drain the oil into a loaf pan. Chop the sundried tomatoes and set aside.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, and oregano to the loaf pan, and toss to coat in oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes burst. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir the vinegar and spices into the tomatoes, breaking up any remaining big tomatoes.
- Place the remaining ingredients (including the reserved sundried tomatoes) in a large bowl. Add the tomato mixture and toss to evenly distribute all the ingredients.
- Allow to mellow at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
- Refrigerate leftovers and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
adapted and updated from Tracy Duso-Degon (Coven of the Rowan Star)’s Pasta Salad with Two Tomato Vinaigrette appearing in A Cauldron of Delight 2012
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