This sun dried tomato pasta salad is easy to throw together and completely vegetarian! Sun dried tomatoes and basil give it lots of fresh summer flavor and the addition of beans makes it rich in protein. Only 10 ingredients, ready in under 30 minutes!
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I know that summer cookouts can feel a little daunting for vegetarians. While everyone else is grilling burgers and steaks, where does that leave you?
I always recommend bringing a dish to share that you know will fill you up. Sometimes that's barley salad, sometimes it's pesto tortellini salad. Today, it's sun dried tomato pasta salad!
This salad tastes so fresh, and I found it absolutely addictive. Even better, this is a pasta salad without mayo! The perfect bite includes al dente pasta, savory sun dried tomatoes, spicy red onion, and creamy white beans and mozzarella cheese.
It's all tossed with a homemade dressing that starts with sun dried tomato oil for extra flavor. Overall, this is a great on-the-go lunch, cookout side, or cold vegetarian main dish!
Ingredients
For the dressing
- Oil from sun dried tomatoes
- Basil paste
- Red wine vinegar
- Garlic
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes
For the pasta salad
- Rotini pasta
- Canned baby butter beans
- Sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
- Baby spinach, roughly chopped
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Mozzarella pearls
How to make sun dried tomato dressing
- Combine all ingredients in a small mason jar and shake until combined (alternatively, whisk together in a small bowl). Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
How to make sun dried tomato pasta salad
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander, then rinse with cold water until cool to the touch.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked, cooled pasta, butter beans, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, red onion, and mozzarella pearls. Add the dressing, toss until coated, and serve.
Top tips
Don't overcook the pasta
I can't stand floppy, mushy pasta. I recommend following the package instructions for the lowest cooking time to achieve al dente pasta. It will continue to soften as it sits in the refrigerator absorbing the dressing.
Where to find mozzarella pearls
Mozzarella pearls are a type of fresh mozzarella that's sold in small tubs packed in water to maintain freshness. You can find them near other fresh mozzarella products such as burrata in the fancy refrigerated cheese section of the grocery store.
You can substitute any other fresh mozzarella shape in this recipe, but may need to cut it into bite size pieces.
Tips for customizing sun dried tomato pasta salad
- Swap the basil for an equal amount of pesto
- Use cubes of mozzarella, shaved parmesan, or crumbled feta in place of the mozzarella pearls
- Use whatever short cut pasta you have on hand such as penne, farfalle, or cavatappi
- If you need to buy dry packed sun dried tomatoes, substitute ⅓ cup olive oil (or more to taste) for the sun dried tomato oil
- Swap the baby butter beans for large butter beans, great northern beans, cannellini beans, or garbanzo beans
FAQ
Sun dried tomatoes start out as regular ripe tomatoes that lose some of their water content after being dried in the sun. They're chewy, a little sweet, and loaded with flavor.
I like buying sun dried tomatoes julienne cut and packed in oil to make them convenient to use, but if you can only find larger tomatoes you can chop them yourself before using.
Basil paste is a convenient way to cook with basil that can be kept fresh in the refrigerator for weeks. It is essentially chopped basil, and incorporates easily into this dressing recipe. It can be found in the produce section of the grocery store, and can be substituted 1:1 with fresh basil.
More salad recipes
- Pesto Tortellini Salad
- Cajun Salad
- Greek Orzo Salad
- Mediterranean Couscous Salad
- Israeli Couscous Salad
- Caesar Pasta Salad
- Vegan Potluck Barley Salad
- The Best Easy Vegan Salad
- Pizza Salad
- High Protein Vegan Salad with Hummus
- Burrata Caprese
- Panzanella
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Sun dried tomato dressing
- Oil from 8.5 ounces sun dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons basil paste
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Sun dried tomato pasta salad
- 16 ounces rotini pasta
- 15 ounces canned baby butter beans, rinsed and drained
- 8.5 ounces sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, oil reserved
- 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 8 ounces mozzarella pearls, drained
Instructions
Sun dried tomato dressing
- Combine all ingredients in a small mason jar and shake until combined (alternatively, whisk together in a small bowl). Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
Sun dried tomato pasta salad
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander, then rinse with cold water until cool to the touch.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked, cooled pasta, butter beans, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, red onion, and mozzarella pearls. Add the dressing, toss until coated, and serve.
Notes
Tips for customizing sun dried tomato pasta salad
- Swap the basil for an equal amount of pesto
- Use cubes of mozzarella, shaved parmesan, or crumbled feta in place of the mozzarella pearls
- Use whatever short cut pasta you have on hand such as penne, farfalle, or cavatappi
- If you need to buy dry packed sun dried tomatoes, substitute ⅓ cup olive oil (or more to taste) for the sun dried tomato oil
- Swap the baby butter beans for large butter beans, great northern beans, cannellini beans, or garbanzo beans
Lindsay Moe says
I love this recipe!