Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Potlucks are such fun. So much food in one place.

Sun dried tomatoes are also quite fun. Delicious and fun. Or more simply put, delicious fun. Add some pasta and some kalamata olives into the mix and you’ve upgraded from delicious fun to a party in a bowl if you ask me.

This pasta salad was a hit at this weekends potluck and because that popularity and its adaptability this dish is going on permanent rotation in the Evolving Mommy household. Side dish or Main dish. Warm or cold. If it’s a dinner I need I can easily add shrimp of cubed chicken for a main dish. If I’m in a hurry I can easily substitute jarred sun dried tomato pesto for the homemade version in this recipe, although the homemade version is both easy and delicious. See, this Sun dried tomato pasta salad is flexible, even downright versatile.

Sun dried Tomato Pasta Salad Ingredients

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto (recipe below)
1 pound rotini or corkscrew pasta
3/4 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped
6 ounces baby spinach leaves, wilted
1/2 one red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
3 roma tomatoes, diced (about 1-1/2 cups)

Cook pasta according to package directions, making sure to cook noodles until they are just aldente.

In a large serving bowl mix all ingredients together until the noodles are evenly coated and the ingredients are evenly distributed. Refrigerate until serving time.

Sun dried Tomato Pesto Ingredients
1 cup sun dried tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
1/3 cup basil leaves
1/3 cup Parmesan
1/3 cup whole toasted/roasted almonds
3/4 cups olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Using a food processor pulse the almonds a few times to chop them into smaller pieces. Add the sun dried tomatoes, garlic, basil and parmesan to the processor bowl and pulse a few times. Add the oil into the bowl, process the mixture until will mixed. Add Salt and pepper to taste.