Sun Dried Tomato Penne Pasta Salad With Goat Cheese(PASTA RECIPE)

Pasta salads are simple, quick and versatile. This vibrant Sun Dried Tomato Penne Pasta Salad with fresh flavours straight from the Mediterranean is perfect for picnics, potlucks, lunch box or even a light lunch/supper. Sun dried tomatoes are blended together with sweet Italian basil leaves and pine nuts to make a pesto, which is used as a dressing for the pasta. The intense sweet-tart flavour of the sun-dried tomatoes makes this simple salad zesty while the cherry tomatoes add a burst of freshness. Goat cheese lends a unique tart flavour to the salad but you can alternatively use Parmesan cheese.

Serve Sun Dried Tomato Penne Pasta Salad With Goat Cheese with Pizza Margherita for a weekend dinner.

If you like this recipe, you can also try other pasta recipes such as

Burnt Garlic Pasta With Mushroom

Spinach Corn Pasta In Whole Wheat White Sauce

Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta With Spinach

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Ingredients
For the sun dried tomato pesto
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

2 tablespoon pine nuts/walnuts

8-10 italian basil leaves

2 garlic pods

Sea salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper corns, crushed

4-5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For the salad
1 cup whole wheat penne pasta

4-5 tablespoon sun dried tomato pesto

2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional)

2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, crushed

Salt to taste

10-12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

10-12 baby spinach leaves

8-10 black olives in brine, drained and cut in half

50-60 grams goat cheese, crumbled

2-3 teaspoon salted capers, rinsed and drained to remove excess salt

Fresh Italian basil leaves, bits of sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts for garnishing

Directions for Sun Dried Tomato Penne Pasta Salad With Goat Cheese
To begin making the Sun Dried Tomato Penne Pasta Salad With Goat Cheese, firstly we will make the Sun-dried tomato pesto.

Blend all the ingredients under ‘Sun dried tomato pesto’ in a food processor, to a coarse paste. Adjust the quantity of olive oil, if required.

The next step is to prepare the salad. Cook the pasta in a saucepan as per instructions on the packet. Rinse under cold water and drain.

In a small bowl mix together the pesto, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, black pepper and salt according to your taste.

In a salad bowl, toss together the pasta with sun dried tomato dressing, cherry tomatoes, spinach leaves, olives, capers and goat cheese.

Garnish with basil leaves, sun-dried tomato bits and pine nuts.


Serve Sun Dried Tomato Penne Pasta Salad With Goat Cheese with Pizza Margherita for a weekend dinner.