Pasta Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Olives, and Arugula

This pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and arugula also has artichoke hearts, capers, toasted pine nuts, red onion, and parmesan that is tossed with a tangy homemade vinaigrette. I served this pasta salad when we were all together for lunch recently along with some fresh fruit and baked bread. This pasta salad is loaded with so many wonderful flavors, has great textures, and is healthy & filling. We all thought this Mediterranean pasta salad was delicious and I can’t wait to have the last little bit with my lunch tomorrow.

How to Make Pasta Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Olives, and Arugula

Make the vinaigrette by combining olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, dried oregano, and sugar together in a small dish. Add sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Whisk until well combined. Set aside to allow flavors to mingle.

Make the pasta salad by cooking the pasta in salted boiling water per the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Toss the pasta in a large bowl then add the sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, arugula, red onion, toasted pine nuts, and capers. Drizzle with the well-whisked vinaigrette; toss to coat evenly. Allow the flavor to mingle for a few minutes before tossing again and pouring into a serving bowl.

Top with grated parmesan, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste; toss and serve with additional lemon wedges and parmesan cheese on the side. Enjoy.

Pasta Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Olives, and Arugula

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Course: Sides

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4 people

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking

Equipment

• Large pot

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 1/4-1/2 tsp oregano, to taste
• Pinch sugar, to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Pasta Salad

• 8 oz mini penne pasta, cooked in salted water per package instructions
• 1 cup arugula
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
• ¼ cup olives, sliced (I used black & kalamata)
• ¼ small red onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 1 tbsp capers
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• Parmesan, grated, to taste
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Vinaigrette

• Make the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, dried oregano, and sugar together in a small dish. Add sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Whisk until well combined. Set aside to allow flavors to mingle.

Pasta Salad

• Make the pasta salad by cooking the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water per the package instructions. 
• Drain and rinse with ice-cold water. 
• Toss the cooled pasta in a large bowl then add the arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, red onion, toasted pine nuts, and capers. 
• Drizzle with the well-whisked vinaigrette; toss to coat evenly. Allow the flavor to mingle for a few minutes before tossing again and pouring into a serving bowl. 
• Top with grated parmesan, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste; toss and serve with additional lemon wedges and parmesan cheese on the side. Enjoy.

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