Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

Brighten up your mealtime with this vibrant and flavorful Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto! This Mediterranean-inspired dish combines al dente penne pasta with a rich and zesty homemade pesto made from sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, grated Parmesan, and pine nuts. Tossed with juicy cherry tomatoes, briny black olives, and tender baby spinach, this pasta salad is a perfect balance of bold flavors and fresh textures. Ready in just 25 minutes, it's ideal for quick lunches, potlucks, or as a make-ahead dish for a picnic. Serve it chilled or at room temperature and savor every bite of this irresistibly satisfying meal.

Nutriscore Rating: 56/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 400 g Penne pasta
• 1 cup Sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil)
• 1 cup Fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 0.25 cup Pine nuts
• 2 pieces Garlic cloves
• 0.5 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup Cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 0.5 cup Black olives (sliced)
• 2 cups Baby spinach
• 1 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool.

Step 2

In a food processor, combine the sun-dried tomatoes (with a bit of their oil), fresh basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and garlic cloves. Pulse until you achieve a coarse paste.

Step 3

With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture forms a smooth pesto. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.

Step 4

In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked and cooled pasta. Toss with the sun-dried tomato pesto until well-coated.

Step 5

Gently fold in the halved cherry tomatoes, sliced black olives, and baby spinach, mixing until evenly combined.

Step 6

Taste the pasta salad and adjust seasonings if necessary. Add more salt, black pepper, or olive oil to your preference.

Step 7

Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1384.5g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	5147.6

Total Fat 337.8g	0%
Saturated Fat 81.8g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 11.5g
Cholesterol 190.5mg	0%
Sodium 9034.2mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 385.3g	0%
Dietary Fiber 40.9g	0%
Total Sugars 39.0g
Protein 167.5g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 2984.5mg	0%
Iron 33.0mg	0%
Potassium 8977.8mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 57.9%

Protein: 12.8%

Carbs: 29.3%