Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Name: Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 16 oz rotini pasta (or any short pasta); 8 oz julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil; 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved); 1 cup baby spinach or arugula; ½ cup crumbled feta or mozzarella pearls; ¼ cup red onion (thinly sliced); ¼ cup fresh basil (chopped); Optional add-ins: grilled chicken (chopped salami, or chickpeas, sliced kalamata olives); ⅓ cup olive oil (use some from the sun-dried tomato jar for extra flavor); 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon honey; 1 garlic clove (minced); ¼ teaspoon table salt; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Whenever we’re planning a backyard bbq or potluck, pasta salad always needs to be on the menu. This sun-dried tomato pasta salad is full of flavor in every bite and uses minimal ingredients. With just a pasta pot and a single bowl, clean up is quick, making this recipe under 30 minutes from start to finish!

My secret for making a pasta salad full of rich flavor is to toss the noodles with the dressing while they’re still warm. This allows the dressing to soak into the noodles as they cool, boosting the flavor of every bite! This pasta salad has some of my family’s favorite ingredients, but feel free to customize it with your own too. I love serving it with cilantro lime chicken or grilled teriyaki chicken for a delicious dinner.

Overhead image of sun-dried tomato pasta salad with a wooden spoon off to the left side. — 📸 Photography by **Kendra Reeder**

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

A side dish full of flavor. With minimal ingredients, every bite is full of fresh flavors; from the saltiness of the feta cheese, to the tangy sweetness of the sun-dried tomatoes.
Better to make this pasta salad in advance. There’s no need to stress when making this recipe for a picnic or backyard bbq, it’s actually better to make it ahead of time so the dressing can marinate all of the flavors together.
Easy to customize with protein and other ingredients. Add grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a main course. Use any veggies you have on hand that would be delicious in a salad for crunch and new flavors.

Tips for Busy Cooks

This salad dressing recipe for this pasta salad is one of my go-to homemade dressings for any salad throughout the week. Make a double or triple batch, I promise it’s so worth it!

Key Ingredient Notes

Pasta Salad:

Rotini pasta – You can use any short pasta shape as well if you already have one on hand.
Julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil – You can buy them pre-cut this way at the store to reduce the prep time. They add a chewy texture, a hint of sweetness, and tang. If your sun-dried tomatoes aren’t pre-cut, then simply slice them into thin strips.
Cherry tomatoes add a burst of color and sweet tomato flavor.
Baby spinach or arugula – Baby greens give it nice texture and fresh flavor.
Crumbled feta or mozzarella pearls – Either cheese is delicious. If you like a more salty cheese, use feta, if you like creamy, then use mozzarella pearls.
Red onion adds brightness and tang.
Fresh basil – A bright herbal finish that pairs with the sun-dried tomatoes nicely.
Optional add-ins – There are several options of mix-ins for pasta salad, depending on what you like. Some of our favorite ingredients are: grilled chicken, chopped salami, chickpeas, and sliced kalamata olives.

Dressing:

Olive oil – Necessary as the base for any salad dressing. Buy a nice quality if you can for a richer flavor. It’s also best to use some oil from the sun-dried tomato jar for extra flavor.
Balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar – Either vinegar works as the acid in the dressing that balances out the olive oil.
Dijon mustard – A little bit helps to brighten the flavors of the dressing and emulsify the ingredients together.
Honey – A drop adds a hint of sweetness.
Garlic makes every salad dressing even better in our opinion!

How to make sun-dried tomato pasta salad

A white bowl with boiled rotini noodles and a gray spatula on the bottom left.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Before draining, scoop out ½ cup of pasta water and set aside.

A white bowl with the ingredients for the salad dressing mixed and a whisk on the bottom left.

Whisk together in a large bowl (the one you’ll use for the salad) the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper.

A white bowl with salad dressing mixed into the pasta noodles and a wooden spatula resting on the right.

While the pasta is still warm, add it directly to the bowl with the dressing. Toss to coat — the warmth helps it absorb flavor.

A white bowl with the sun dried tomato pasta salad ingredients in piles before mixing with the noodles underneath.

Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, spinach, red onion, basil, and feta (or mozzarella). If the pasta looks dry, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.

You can serve it warm, room temp, or chilled. If chilling, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.

A white bowl with sundried tomato pasta salad. A blue linen is on the bottom left and spatula on the bottom right.

Expert Tips:

Make this a one pot dish. You can easily boil the noodles, drain, and then toss all of the pasta salad ingredients together in the same pot for quick and easy clean up.
Add some protein. If you want to make this a complete meal for a main course option, you and easily add grilled chicken, chickpeas, cooked shrimp, or even seared steak.
Use the sun-dried tomato oil in the dressing for added flavor. This is a key secret we love sharing. The oil is infused with the sun-dried tomato flavor and really takes the dish up a notch.
Easy to prep ahead of time. If you’re meal prepping or making this for a crowd, you can cut down on some of the chopping with store-bought chopped onions and minced garlic.
Add the dressing to the cooked pasta while it’s still warm. This helps for the noodles to absorb more of the flavor of the dressing as they cool.

Storage

Store any leftover pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to serve, let it sit out for 10 to 15 minutes to take the chill off and toss with a tablespoon of fresh olive oil.

We don’t recommend freezing the pasta salad since it will change the texture when it thaws. But it is the perfect side dish to make in advance for entertaining. We often make it the day before a party since the flavors get better with time.

What to serve with sun-dried tomato pasta salad

This is a great side dish to complete a menu for a picnic, potluck, or barbecue. Here are some dishes we love to serve with it:

A fork is lifting up a bit of sundried tomato pasta salad.

FAQs

What is the secret to a good pasta salad?

Make sure you add lots of vegetables with texture and fresh flavor to compliment the pasta. Dress the pasta salad while it’s still warm so that the noodles can soak up the dressing for even more vibrant taste.

Do you need to rinse pasta for pasta salad?

You can rinse it if you want to cool down the noodles more quickly before dressing the salad.

Why does my pasta salad taste bland?

When the pasta salad is served cold, the flavors can be muted. Make sure you allow the salad to sit out for 10 to 15 minutes prior to serving and season well with salt and pepper.