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Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad, a simple, colorful pasta salad thatโs perfect for lunches, picnics, BBQโs, and easy dinners. Fresh pasta tossed with homemade basil vinaigrette, creamy goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, white beans, and finished with sliced avocado. This is a (mayo free) pasta salad that everyone will love.
Iโve always loved a good pasta salad. Growing up my dad would make pasta salads during the summer months when heโd get home late from work. Turning on the oven was just not something he wanted to do, so heโd boil some pasta and toss in whatever vegetables and cheeses he had on hand, and that was dinner. Usually, it was a mix up of broccoli, fresh cherry tomatoes, lots of garden fresh basil, and chunks of cheddar cheese. Nothing crazy exciting, but I used to love my dadโs pasta salads.
So much so that I actually included his โrecipeโ in the Half Baked Harvest Cookbook.
I think what I loved most about my dadโs pasta salads was that heโd serve them to us warm instead of cold. My dadโs secret was tossing steaming hot pasta with raw veggies and cubes of cheese. The hot pasta would warm the veggies and melt the cheese.
I remember it being just so good, and I used to love eating chunks of broccoli and melty cheddar cheese together with the pasta. It was one of those healthyโฆish summertime comfort foods, and to this day itโs one of my favorites.
Also? It feels like yesterday that I was sitting at my parentโs kitchen counter at our house in Rocky River, Ohio, eating this meal at nine oโclock on a summer night. The memories are so vivid in my head, and I LOVE looking back on them. Not only do these memories have me so excited for summer, but they also remind me that summer nights are the bestโฆespecially if youโre a care free kid.
With Memorial Day just a couple of weeks away, I thought I would start sharing some recipes that will be great for warm nights and outdoor eating. Plus, weโve finally have had a taste of warmer weather here this week, and itโs safe to say that I am LOVING it.
Itโs amazing what a few days of warm temperatures and sunshine can do to a girl. Very happy over here.
OK. The details.
As you might be able to guess from the above, this pasta salad is simple and mimics the same steps my dad takes when making his pasta salads.
Everything starts with the herby vinaigrette. Itโs a mix of basil, chives, dill, and lemon. This fresh vinaigrette is the base of the flavor for this salad. Once this is made, the rest of the salad comes together in minutes.
Tip: if you double the vinaigrette, it makes for the perfect salad dressing, dip for veggies, and sauce for meats. A lot times I will make this vinaigrette on Sunday so that I have it on hand to create quick dinners throughout the week.
Next, boil some pasta. Short cut is always best for a pasta salad, but feel free to use whatever short cut pasta is your favorite. During the last minute of cooking, toss some fresh asparagus in with the pasta to give it a quick cook before draining.
Now, toss the hot pasta with the vinaigrette and creamy goat cheese. The combination of the vinaigrette and goat cheese act as the sauce for the pasta and allow you not to have to use any mayo, which if youโve been reading HBH for sometime now, you know that I am not a mayo person.
Finally, add in some sun-dried tomatoes, white beans, and avocado. Done.
My pasta salad has just a bit more flavors added in than my dads, and while I love dads simple salad, I think mine beats his by just a smidge (wink, wink). The fresh herbs, creamy goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes add so much deliciousness and really make for the perfect bite every time.
Could not love this salad more.
You can serve this warm or cold, but as you might guess, I love this best warm.
If you plan to make this for picnics and want to make the salad ahead of time, just be sure to add the avocado right before serving so it doesnโt brown. Other than that, everything can be made and stored in the fridge for a few days. Then just serve chilled or at room temperature.
Either way, itโs going to be good!
If you make this Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad and love it, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, if you do make this, donโt forget to also tag me onย Instagramย so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Sun-Dried Tomato, White Bean, and Goat Cheese Pasta
Ingredients
Basil Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 2 fresh chives
- 2 sprigs fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- kosher salt
Salad
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4-6 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 jar (8 ounces) oil packed sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 can (14 ounces) white beans, drained
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- 1. To make the vinaigrette. In a blender, combine the olive oil, basil, chives, dill, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and a pinch red pepper flakes until smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed.2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. During the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add the asparagus to the water. Drain and add to a serving bowl.4. Toss the hot pasta and asparagus with the goat cheese and a couple large spoonfuls of the basil vinaigrette, toss well until the goat cheese coats the pasta completely. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and white beans, tossing to combine. Top the pasta with avocado. Serve the remaining vinaigrette on the side.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Bring on warm nights and plenty of pasta salad!
Love the recipe, can’t stand the ads
Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Add red onion. Uncooked. You’ll thank me later.
Thanks so much Laura!!
Made this to pack in lunches for my husband and I. Recipe was excellent as is but the husband likes a more traditional pasta salad so I added some hot honey and Greek yogurt to the dressing. It still came out wonderfully and I recommend this to anyone who thinks the base dressing is a bit too on the bitter herby side.
Thanks so much Roxy! xT
When the recipe says “2 fresh chives” does it mean bunches, sprigs, or tablespoons?
Hi Kelly,
You can use 2 sprigs of fresh chives:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
T – I finally made this recipe, and it is wonderful! The only thing different I did was to roast my asparagus separately before adding. You’re basil vinaigrette is AMAZING. I look forward to also using that dressing in other salads and dishes. The sun dried tomatoes gave the pasta salad a nice taste as well. Thank you for your unending creativity!
Thanks so much Kelly!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you making it! Happy Friday!
Hi Tieghan!
Any suggestions for a goat cheese substitute?
Thank you!
Hey Rachael,
Feta cheese would also be a great option here! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
IF you don’t have fresh herbs, can dried work? If so, how much of each.
Thank you.
Hey Robin,
Yes, dried herbs will work for you, a general rule of thumb is for every 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I substituted green beans from my garden for the asparagus, worked well! Had to skip the avocado, nothing ripe enough to use. Another yummy recipe from HBH. Thank you Tieghan!
Hi Jill,
Wonderful! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! Have a great weekend:)
OMG! So good! I roasted the asparagus like another commenter mentioned. Such a delicous side, or even lunch to have through the week. I love goat cheese and sun dried tomatos and they go so well together. ๐
Hey Sarah,
Happy Wednesday! I really appreciate you taking the time to make this recipe, I love to hear that it was a hit! xxT
I needed a pasta salad recipe to bring to a friendโs cookout and wanted something that would taste decadent and creamy without having mayo. This sure fit that description! As someone who doesnโt love sun dried tomatoes, I found them to be perfect in this mix. I only wish Iโd added more asparagus (loved the al dente crunch of it), and I should have doubled the dressing to use on salads. Everyone gobbled it upโglad I made the full 8 portions!
Hey Tori,
Happy Monday!! I really appreciate you trying this recipe out, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:)
Making this for the 2nd time in 2 weeks. Used whole wheat pasta the first time but will be making for a crowd tomorrow, so will use regular. It is so good and filling. Ate it for lunch all week! I did change up how I cooked the asparagas.. grilled it for a few minutes before tossing it in. Also I didn’t have fresh dill so just used a tsp of dried. I think i might plate the next batch on a bed of fresh crunchy romaine. Love how the goat cheese melts and coats everything gorgeously. That dressing though..so delicious! Keep those hot weather salad recipes comin’ please.
Hey Lori,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! xTieghan
My go-to pasta salad for the past 2+ years! Iโm not a huge asparagus fan though so I do fresh or even sometimes frozen green beans!! I love it and get compliments every time I bring it somewhere.
Hi Katie,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
this recipe is great – I’ve made it multiple times, only one suggestion! the bunch of asparagus being put in the pasta raw is a little much. I instead roast the asparagus at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes with a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.
Hey Anna,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan