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Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Sun-dried tomato pasta salad with Mediterranean pasta, spinach, feta, and olives tossed in a red wine vinegar herb vinaigrette. The pasta is rinsed cold for a firm, non-sticky bite, then chilled so the flavors soak in.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

rotini or penne pasta
  • 1 lb rotini or penne pasta
sun-dried tomatoes in oil
  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and chopped
feta cheese
  • 8 oz feta cheese crumbled
fresh spinach
  • 2 cup fresh spinach chopped
Kalamata olives
  • 0.5 cup Kalamata olives sliced
olive oil
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
red wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
garlic
  • 2 clove garlic minced
dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Cook rotini or penne pasta according to package directions until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool the pasta quickly and help it stay firm, then set aside.
Make herb vinaigrette
  1. Whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper until evenly combined. Stop whisking once the mixture looks uniform and glossy.
Assemble and chill
  1. Combine pasta, sun-dried tomatoes in oil, feta cheese, fresh spinach, and Kalamata olives in a large bowl. Toss gently so the feta stays in pieces rather than crumbling completely.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to distribute the vinaigrette evenly. Keep tossing lightly to avoid breaking up the feta too much.
  3. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving. Cover it after assembling so it chills evenly.
  4. Toss again right before serving and adjust seasoning if needed. Taste for salt and pepper, then serve cold.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta in cold water right after draining so it doesn’t clump. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended because the spinach and feta texture changes. If you want a dairy-light option, use reduced-fat feta and the dressing still works the same.