Sun-Dried Tomato & Fresh Mozzarella Pasta Salad

kleigh83's Note:

A great non mayo pasta salad that's a little more posh than the norm. Especially nice if you are a fan of sun-dried tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.

• Total Time: 21 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 11 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

dressing

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato packed in oil, drained
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1 garlic clove, minced

salad

• 1 lb medium pasta shell
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 8 ounces water-packed fresh mozzarella cheese, drained and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup fresh basil leaf, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped kalamata olive

Directions:

1. Bring large pot of water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, make dressing: combine all dressing ingredients.
3. Process until sun dried tomatoes are coarsely chopped.
4. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.
5. Add one teaspoon of salt and pasta to boiling water, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
6. Cook until pasta is tender (about 11 min.) and drain well.
7. Transfer to a large serving bowl.
8. Add dressing to hot pasta and toss to coat.
9. Let cool, stirring occasionally.
10. Add tomatoes, mozzarella,basil, Parmesan, and olives.
11. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Toss to mix and serve at room temperature.

Reviews

[carole in orlando]

Just a little too much sundried tomatoes. I would use 1/4 to 1/3 cup and maybe a little more vinegar. I took it to our family 4th of July cookout and it was liked by some and not by others. I will tweak it some the next time, because I do love sundried tomatoes. Carole

[:(]

Very good salad, although I thought it was a little heavy on the cherry tomatoes compared to the mozz, and I would have liked a little bit more dressing, as it tended to dry out as it chilled. Definitely one I would make again with slight changes. Thanks for posting!