Best Tomato Pasta Salad Recipes

TOMATO FETA PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, feta and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
• For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.
• Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and parsley, and toss well.

TOMATO AND FRESH MOZZARELLA PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool; add to the bowl with the dressing.
• Add the tomatoes, mozzarella and basil to the bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. The pasta salad is best if served right away.
• Copyright 2016 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

SUN-DRIED TOMATO & FRESH MOZZARELLA PASTA SALAD

Steps:

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

TOMATO-BASIL PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Mix together the tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and basil.
• Refrigerate 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, and rinse under cold water; drain.
• Mix pasta with tomato mixture until well-combined.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Serve with additional Parmesan, if desired.

SPRING PASTA SALAD WITH ASPARAGUS, TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Put up a large pot of salted water for cooking the pasta and bring it to a boil.
• Add the asparagus and blanch it until just tender, about 3 minutes.
• Scoop the asparagus from the water with a large strainer spoon and place in a colander. Run cold water over it to stop the cooking process, and to preserve the bright green color. Drain well and slice into small pieces on the diagonal, leaving the tips whole.
• Bring the water back to a rapid boil and cook the penne until just al dente (tender but slightly firm to the bite). Run the pasta under cold water and drain very well.
• In a large serving bowl, add the pasta, the blanched asparagus and all the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and toss well until all the pasta is well coated with dressing. Taste for seasoning. This is best served at room temperature.
• Note: Another lovely addition to this pasta is about 3/4 cup freshly shelled spring peas. Blanch them for 1 minute in the boiling pasta water after you blanch the asparagus. Drain well and add them to the bowl along with the other ingredients.

ASPARAGUS AND TOMATO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta as directed on package, adding asparagus for last 2 minutes of cooking; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain.
• In tightly covered container, shake oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic salt.
• In large bowl, toss pasta, asparagus, bell pepper, tomatoes and oil mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to blend flavors but no longer than 24 hours. Serve with pepper.

CORN AND TOMATO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain and let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, whisk the vinaigrette, shallot and lemon zest in a large bowl; set aside.
• Preheat the broiler. Place the corn on a baking sheet and broil, turning occasionally, until lightly charred on all sides, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut off the kernels.
• Add the pasta, corn, tomatoes, fennel and fronds, and basil to the vinaigrette; toss to coat and season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in half of the goat cheese, then top with the rest.
• Whisk 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper in a bowl. Slowly drizzle in 2/3 cup olive oil, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth. Add more salt and pepper to taste. (Makes about 1 cup.)

CUCUMBER, TOMATO AND PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook rotini as directed on package to al dante; Drain and run pasta under cold water.
• Drizzle italian dressing over pasta, mixing slowly so as not to break apart the pasta pieces. Add in tomatoes, black olives, cucumber, and 5 tablespoons of the feta cheese. Continue mixing ingredients until well-coated.
• Sprinkle remaining feta cheese over pasta mixture and top with almonds. (Instead of almonds I've used Melissa's Salad Sprinkles. This could not be located in RecipeZaar as a recognized ingredient but I wanted to record it in the directions as another option for a salad topper.).
• NOTE: If you don't care for feta cheese, try using Parmesan cheese instead. It tastes just as good and gives the salad a somewhat different flavor. Use only four to five tablespoons instead and mix in as given above.

TOMATO, BROCCOLI AND PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta until tender but firm.
• Drain and rinse under cold water.
• Wrap in paper towel and set aside.
• Blanch the broccoli for 2 minutes in boiling water.
• Drain and rinse in cold water and wrap in a towel.
• In salad bowl combine pasta, green onions,tomatoes, cheese (add broccoli just before serving) Dressing: Combine lemon juice, water, garlic, mustard and olive oil till mixed well.
• Pour over salad and toss till mixed.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
• Tastes even better the next day.
• The broccoli is added last because the acid in the salad dressing will cause the broccoli to lose its green colour.

CHICKEN, BASIL AND TOMATO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions, adding green beans the last 5 minutes of cooking; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again.
• Mix together the oil, vinegar, salt, garlic, mustard and pepper with a whisk until thoroughly combined.
• In a very large bowl toss together the pasta mixture, chicken cubes (if using), dressing, tomatoes, shredded cheese and olives. Cover and chill for 4-24 hours. Add basil and toss gently before serving. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese, if desired.

CHICKEN, TOMATO, AND PASTA SALAD WITH BASIL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a blender, add the Dijon and vinegars and blend. Drizzle in the oils to emulsify. In a large salad bowl, toss the chicken, pasta, tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and black pepper. Check for flavor.
• In a large pasta bowl, plate the entire salad and garnish with basil tops.
• In a blender, puree garlic, ginger, lime juice, salt, and sugar and oil until smooth. Do not overmix thereby heating the mixture. Add the basil and puree smooth. Check for seasoning.

CREAMY HERBED TOMATO-ARUGULA PASTA SALAD WITH BACON

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Put the bacon in a large, cold skillet then cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside.
• Whisk together the mayonnaise, basil, sour cream, chives, parsley, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds pepper in a large bowl.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool; add to the bowl with the dressing.
• Add the arugula and tomatoes to the bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and top with the bacon. The pasta salad is best if served right away.

TOMATO BASIL PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Combine cooked pasta, tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, artichoke hearts and basil in a large bowl.
• Blend olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour dressing mixture over pasta; toss to mix.
• Cover with Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil. Refrigerate 2 hours or until serving time.

TOMATO, BASIL AND MOZZARELLA PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until it is done, but still a little firm to the bite. Drain and rinse with cold water until the pasta is completely cool. Let it drain for a few minutes and transfer to a large bowl. Add the mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, scallions, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste, adding more vinegar if desired. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• *NOTE: To peel plum tomatoes:
• Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Have ready a bowl of ice water. Cut an "X" in the bottom of the tomato and remove the stem. Place in the boiling water for 10 or 15 seconds -- no longer. Use a slotted spoon to quickly transfer to the ice water. The skin should simply slip off.

TOMATO FESTA PASTA SALAD - BAREFOOT CONTESSA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, feta and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth. Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and parsley, and toss well.

SUMMERY TOMATO AND BACON PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Put the bacon in a large, cold skillet then cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside.
• Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool; add to the bowl with the dressing.
• Add the arugula, basil and tomatoes to the bowl and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and top with the bacon. The pasta salad is best if served right away.
• Copyright 2016 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

FRESH TOMATO-BASIL-ASPARAGUS PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions, adding asparagus, cut into 2" pieces, during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Drain and rinse under cool water.
• Stir together 1 cup bottled lemon vinaigrette and chopped basil. Pour 3/4 cup of dressing over pasta mixture. Stir in tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. COver and chill 1 hour. Toss with remaining dressing just before serving. Garnish with additional freshly basil.

PASTA SALAD WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA, BASIL + SUN-DRIED TOMATO DRESSING

Steps:

• Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in warm water for 20 minutes or so, until softened. Drain. Toss all the ingredients into a food processor or blender until the tomatoes are good and chopped up and you have a chunky sort of dressing. assembling the pasta salad along with the parmesan. Toss with the cooked drained pasta while hot, adding the dressing at the same time. Serve at room temperature.

WARM TOMATO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain.
• In a large bowl, toss warm pasta with tomatoes, mozzarella, onion, olive oil, parsley, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

CREAMY BACON & TOMATO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling water following pack instructions. Drain and run under cold water until completely cool.
• Meanwhile, mix the yogurt, mustard, honey, garlic, lemon zest, olive oil and some seasoning together in a large bowl. Toss the cooked pasta with the dressing, tomatoes, spinach and basil. Keep chilled until ready to serve, then crumble over the bacon.