Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad

This Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad is my go-to for when I want something fresh, vibrant, and satisfying. It’s packed with roasted sweet peppers, courgettes, and aubergines, plus a generous handful of fresh spinach and basil for extra greens. What really brings this all together is the sundried tomato pesto – it’s rich, tangy, and loaded with flavour. Making your own sundried tomato pesto is quick and easy, but shop-bought works fine too if you’re short on time.

This pasta salad makes a great lunch or side dish, especially when the sun’s out. It’s ideal for picnics, BBQs, or even a quick midweek meal. You can serve it warm or cold, and the leftovers keep well for a few days in the fridge. You can watch me make it here.

Table of Contents

• Ingredient Breakdown
• Roasting Vegetables for Deep Flavour
• Sundried Tomato Pesto: The Game-Changer
• Cooking Pasta for a Pasta Salad
• Bringing the Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad Together
• Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad: Variations and Tips
• Why This Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad Works

Ingredient Breakdown

• Red Sweet Pointed Peppers: Their sweetness intensifies when roasted, and they bring a pop of colour to the salad.
• Courgettes: Roasted courgettes have a delicate sweetness, and their texture contrasts nicely with the other ingredients.
• Aubergines: Aubergines turn creamy and soft once roasted, soaking up flavours beautifully.
• Baby Spinach: Fresh and vibrant, spinach adds a light, green touch to balance out the roasted veggies.
• Fresh Basil: This aromatic herb brings a fragrant, fresh element that pairs perfectly with the pesto.
• Sundried Tomato Pesto: A rich, savoury pesto made with sundried tomatoes, grana padano, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil. It coats the pasta and vegetables in a velvety, flavour-packed dressing.
• Dried Pasta: Choose a shape that holds onto the pesto – something like fusilli, penne, or farfalle works best.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: For roasting the vegetables and enhancing their natural flavours.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Adds a tangy sweetness to the vegetables as they roast.
• Dried Italian Herbs: A blend of oregano, thyme, and rosemary brings a Mediterranean feel to the dish.

Roasting Vegetables for Deep Flavour

Roasting vegetables brings out their natural sweetness and adds a lovely depth to the Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad. Start by slicing the peppers into strips and dicing the courgettes and aubergines into small cubes. Try to keep them roughly the same size so they roast evenly. Toss them in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkle of dried Italian herbs, then spread them out on a lined baking tray.

Make sure you don’t crowd the tray. Overcrowding causes the vegetables to steam instead of roast. We want them to develop a nice golden colour and crispy edges, so give them some space to breathe. Roast them at a high temperature, turning halfway through to ensure they cook evenly.

Sundried Tomato Pesto: The Game-Changer

The homemade sundried tomato pesto is the star of this pasta saladdish. It’s savoury, a bit tangy, and coats the pasta in such a satisfying way. You’ll only need a handful of ingredients to make it: sundried tomatoes, grana padano, pine nuts, garlic, basil, and olive oil. The process is simple – just blitz everything in a food processor until smooth.

If you’re short on time, feel free to use shop-bought pesto. But trust me, once you’ve made your own, you’ll taste the difference. It’s fresher, bolder, and you can tweak the ingredients to suit your taste. Maybe you like more garlic, or a bit more cheese – that’s the beauty of homemade pesto.

Cooking Pasta for a Pasta Salad

One thing to remember with cold pasta salads: the pasta will firm up as it cools. So, instead of cooking it al dente, let it cook through a bit more. Be sure to season your water generously – it’s your only chance to flavour the pasta itself.

Once cooked, drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process. This also helps wash away some of the starch, keeping the pasta from becoming sticky as it cools. You want the pasta to be loose and ready to absorb the pesto and vegetables, not clumped together.

Bringing the Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad Together

Now that your pasta is cooked and your veg is roasted to perfection, it’s time to assemble the Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad. Toss the pasta in a large bowl with the roasted peppers, courgettes, aubergines, and a handful of baby spinach and basil. Add a few generous spoonfuls of the sundried tomato pesto and stir until everything is well coated.

This is the time to taste and adjust. Maybe you want a bit more pesto, or maybe a pinch more salt. The roasted veg should be tender and slightly caramelised, the pasta soft but still holding its shape, and the pesto should be flavouring every bite.

Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad: Variations and Tips

• Make it a Full Meal: This Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad is vegetarian, but you can easily bulk it up by adding grilled chicken, tuna, or even crispy chickpeas for extra protein.
• Switch Up the Cheese: Grana padano adds a lovely depth to the pesto, but you can swap it for parmesan or pecorino if you prefer. For a vegan option, try nutritional yeast.
• Meal Prep Magic: This pasta salad keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days, but hold off on adding the spinach and basil until you’re ready to serve. That way, they stay fresh and don’t wilt.

Why This Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad Works

The beauty of this Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad lies in its simplicity. The roasted vegetables bring a smoky sweetness, the sundried tomato pesto adds richness, and the fresh spinach and basil lighten it all up. It’s satisfying but not heavy, with just the right balance of flavours and textures.

It’s versatile too. Serve it warm, cold, or at room temperature, depending on your mood (and the weather). It’s great for sharing at BBQs or packing up for lunch the next day. The fact that it’s easy to make and doesn’t require loads of prep makes it even better.

Whether you’re throwing this together for a midweek meal or prepping it for an outdoor gathering, this Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad is the kind of dish that feels casual but delivers on taste every time. You’ll be coming back for seconds. And if you fancy a green pesto pasta salad, try my Pesto-ish Pasta Salad.