I’ve got a soft spot for deli salads. It’s one of those guilty pleasures that hits the mayo Mother load of spots. Tri-colored pasta salads to crunchy coleslaw, they're synonymous with summer BBQs. But while I love a tried-and-true deli pasta salad, I was on the hunt for something equally delicious and healthy. That’s why this lighter pasta salad is my new favorite and brimming with slow roasted tomatoes (amongst many other things) . It has lots of bright flavors and textures all playing off each other wonderfully. The salty olives! The crumbled feta! The oregano dressing! The crunchy pine nuts!
What I really love are those roasted tomatoes (and tomatoes in general, see here). Yes, it’s a 90 minute time commitment, but the end result will convince you to never buy canned sun-dried tomatoes ever again. There’s this sensory pleasure to the process: Slicing each cherry tomato, artfully arranging them on a baking sheet, followed by the smell of them as they fill up your space with a roasted sweetness. The wondrous tomatoes bring the salad together so well thanks to its tart chewiness. Plus, it’s great for BBQs, picnics and potlucks as it can hang out in the sun without going bad.
Check out another healthy side salad here too.
Pasta Salad With Roasted Tomatoes Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
INGREDIENTS
Oregano Dressing
1-2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
Pasta Salad
4 cups grape tomatoes
Olive oil
1 pound dried pasta (I used gluten free)
6 ounces crumbled feta
1/2 cup, pine nuts
1/2 cup, pitted and rough-chopped olives of your choice (I used a mix)
Salt and pepper
Handful fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Heat oven to 300°F to roast the tomatoes. Cut each tomato in half lengthwise and arrange cut side up in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 90 minutes, until somewhat shriveled and dry to the touch, but not fully dehydrated. Set aside until needed, letting them cool.
To make the dressing, mince the garlic, then mix together with the oregano, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in lemon juice and vinegar, then slowly drizzle in oil, whisking the whole time. Taste and adjust as needed.
Assemble it all in a giant bowl, place drained pasta, roasted tomatoes, cheese, pine nuts and olives and toss gently to combine. Add dressing to taste, along with any extra salt and pepper needed. Finish with basil. Salad can be eaten right away, but will keep in the fridge up to 3 days.
