Tuscan Pasta Salad

Oh, Tuscan pasta salad, where have you been? I was getting just a bit tired of pasta salads and coleslaw then you came along and boom! Something totally different. This recipe makes a nice big batch, perfect for a family get-together, and perfect for that ‘wow factor too.

Tuscan Pasta Salad

There’s nothing in this that will scare off grandma I tend to make my dishes on the spicy side. I resisted that temptation with this Tuscan pasta salad, with great results. Fresh and exciting, this salad hits the spot with it’s Italian-inspired flavors.

You can substitute a tablespoon of dried basil for the fresh if you wish. Just make sure you crumble it a bit in your hand before adding it. I used fresh spinach, but you can also get away with frozen. Just make sure that it’s thawed completely first and squeeze very last drop of water from it before adding it (I like to place it in a kitchen towel, wrap it up tight, and squeeze the heck out of it). I would not recommend omitting the sun-dried tomatoes! They add so much flavor to this salad.

Also try my Mardis Gras pasta salad and also my amazing dill pickle pasta salad.

Tuscan Pasta Salad
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4 from 1 vote

Tuscan Pasta Salad

Oh, Tuscan pasta salad, where have you been? I was getting just a bit tired of pasta salads and coleslaw then you came along and boom! Something totally different. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword pasta salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 288kcal

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 16 ounces bow-tie pasta
  • 7 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 6.5 ounce black olives drained, sliced
  • 1 cup spinach chopped
  • ¼ cup basil chopped
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated

For the dressing

Instructions

For the salad

  • Cook the pasta per package instructions. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Transfer to a large bowl.
  • Add remaining salad ingredients and mix.
  • Add the dressing and toss to coat.

For the dressing

  • Whisk all ingredients together until combined. Note: I like to put the ingredients in a small jar or resealable container, seal, and shake to mix.

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 812mg | Potassium: 845mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1014IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional values are approximate.