This Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad with artichoke hearts is a bright and elegant recipe for summer entertaining or a meatless dinner.
If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember that I made artichoke and sun-dried tomato pasta salad earlier in the summer and was feeling lukewarm about the results.
I’m happy to report that almost a month, three additional batches, and a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette later, I have a pasta salad recipe to share with you that hits all the marks I was craving.
Finally, right?
This Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad combines a bright, rich vinaigrette with sautéed artichoke hearts, capers, toasted pine nuts, and shaved Pecorino Romano cheese. It’s tangy, a little bit sweet from the sun-dried tomatoes, salty, nutty, and perfect for a light dinner on a warm summer night.
Creating Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
When I started developing this recipe, I really wanted it to have a lemon-based vinaigrette, since I love the classic pairing of lemons and artichokes. So, I dressed my original recipe with a lemon-shallot vinaigrette and tossed it with thinly-sliced sun-dried tomatoes.
I kept testing and tweaking the recipe, and it while it was okay, I just wasn’t loving it.
One of the rules here on Striped Spatula is that if I don’t love it, I don’t post it. I’d never want readers to spend time and ingredients making a recipe that I don’t feel 100% jazz-handsy about.
As I tasted my fourth batch of this sun-dried tomato pasta salad, I realized that my tastebuds were searching for sun-dried tomatoes in every bite. Instead of chasing the slivers of tomatoes around the bowl, I needed to have that rich flavor accompany every piece of pasta.
So, I made a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette with lemon, Dijon, and fresh oregano. Batch 5 was exactly the pasta salad I was craving. The flavor was reminiscent of my favorite Pesto Rosso, but brighter and more summery.
Cooking Pasta for Pasta Salad
You can use just about any shape of pasta to make this sun-dried tomato pasta salad. In the general world of pasta salad, I like shorter cuts that can be easily eaten in a bite or two, such as penne, fusilli, orecchiette, and gemelli.
For this recipe, I used casarecce. The curled edges are great for trapping the vinaigrette and maximizing the flavor in each bite.
For pasta salad, I like to cook the pasta just past al dente. Since pasta salads are served chilled or at room temperature, the pasta will naturally have a firmer texture than when it’s hot out of the pot.
I find al dente pasta too chewy when it’s cooled. That said, you don’t want to cook the pasta so much that it becomes mushy and falls apart. For most cuts, just a minute or two past the normal cooking time does the trick.
Should I Rinse Pasta for Pasta Salad?
Cooks tend to have differing (and steadfast) opinions on whether or not pasta should be rinsed after cooking for a cold pasta salad.
I’ve done it many times. Rinsing cools the pasta quickly, and eliminates starches on the surface that can cause clumping when the pasta sits. That said, a cold or room temperature salad is the only time I rinse pasta.
Another option I’ve used is tossing the drained, hot pasta with a little bit of olive oil, and then spreading it onto baking sheets to cool. It doesn’t take that long, preserves the flavor and starches, and also alleviates clumping.
Either cooling technique will work well for this sun-dried tomato pasta salad recipe.
Canned vs. Frozen Artichoke Hearts
As much as I love fresh vegetables, cooking and cleaning fresh artichokes for a salad like this one is a lot of extra work. I wanted this pasta salad to be something that you could whip up on a whim on a warm summer night.
You can use either canned or frozen artichoke hearts in this recipe with good results.
If I had to choose between the two, my preference is for frozen. They’re a staple in my freezer for pasta dishes and dips.
While more economical and readily available than frozen artichoke hearts, un-marinated canned artichoke hearts are packed in a citric acid and salt brine to preserve their color. I find that the brine makes canned artichoke hearts a bit saltier and tangier than frozen, even after rinsing.
I’ve always felt that frozen artichoke hearts have a more artichoke-y flavor. The brand sold in my market also tend to hold their shape better than canned. I find them easier to roast and sauté to bring another layer of flavor to recipes such as this pasta salad.
But, in the spirit of relaxed summer eating, this salad is one that you can adapt to what your pantry and schedule will allow. Sit outside on the patio with a bowl and a crisp glass of wine and savor!
📖 Recipe
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad with Artichoke Hearts
Ingredients
Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes , drained if using oil-packed (about 12 halves)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic , peeled
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves (about 6-8 leaves)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper (medium grind)
Pasta Salad
- 1 pound short pasta , such as casarecce
- 1 pound frozen artichoke hearts , thawed and quartered*
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup chopped shallots
- 3 tablespoons capers , drained
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes , cut into thin strips
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, if you want the pasta to have a kick)
- 2 ounces toasted pine nuts
- ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ½ cup shaved Pecorino Romano , plus additional
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
- In a food processor or blender, pulse sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper 5-6 times, until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl or blender.
- With the mixer running, drizzle in olive oil in a steady stream. Add fresh oregano leaves and pulse to gently chop them up. You should have about ¾ cup of vinaigrette. Set aside.
Make the Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta in salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water or lightly-coat with olive oil and spread out onto baking sheets to cool.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add artichoke hearts and a pinch or two of kosher salt and black pepper. Gently sauté for 5-8 minutes, flipping the artichokes sparingly, until they're light golden brown in parts.
- Deglaze the pan with a small splash of water or white wine and cook for 1 minute, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom.
- Remove from heat and stir in shallots, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, and red pepper flakes (if using). Set aside.
- When pasta is cooked and cooled, toss with the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette, artichoke mixture, pine nuts, herbs, and Pecorino Romano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pasta salad is best enjoyed at room temperature.
ChesCo Holly says
This got the big thumbs up from everyone in my family, including the pickiest eater who went back for seconds. I used artichokes in the jar and skipped the pine nuts. Next time I may try adding sliced black olives and maybe adding extra artichokes. The recommended pasta was great since it does grab the flavor. Thanks so much for this recipe — it’s a keeper!
Marisa Franca says
Well, I simply couldn’t resist — I pinned the pasta salad recipe so I don’t lose it. It looks amazing and I agree with not posting anything that we’re not crazy about. We respect our readers and followers. Now, I haven’t found frozen arichokes and I’d love to check it out. Do you TraderJoe would have it? We do love using casarecce — they are a staple in our house since they grab the sauce. Next pasta salad will be this one.
Tracy Koslicki says
Third time’s the charm! LOVE love that you put so much, well, love into the recipes that you share! And this kind of pasta dish is my kind of comfort food. I’ve always loved the combo of sundried tomatoes and artichokes – thanks for making it perfect for us!
Anne|Craving Something Healthy says
This pasta salad looks so delicious and perfect for when you have guests. I love every flavor in this dish! I have to admit I never knew about frozen artichokes – thanks for that tip!
Debra says
Love your dedication to posting only winners….and this looks diving. I’m a sucker for anything sun dried tomato and artichoke hearts, so thank you for this! That dressing sounds divine. I can think of numerous tasty ways to use that.
Carmy says
Can I confess I’ve never made artichoke before?! How do they taste?
I love your choice of casarecce, they’re one of my favourite pasta salad pastas. I also love how light this pasta salad is, I’ve had way too many heavy mayo based pasta salads recently at bbqs! This would be great for a summer picnic.
Amanda {Striped Spatula} says
Hi Carmy! Artichokes have a mild vegetable flavor. Some people compare them to asparagus when describing them. I hope you get to try them sometime! Artichokes, especially fresh, are one of my favorite vegetables.
Jennifer Bigler says
All of my favorite flavors wrapped into one delicious pasta dish! I can not wait to get this in my belly. This is perfect for my daughters birthday to serve and I hope there’s leftovers.
Dana says
Oh girl. This. recipe. There are so many great things about it. I grew up on heavy, creamy, mayo-filled pasta salads and okay, sure, I loved them. But I find as we get older, we become a little turned off by all of that? So when I see light vinaigrette-based pasta salads like this, I can’t help but get super excited. I can TASTE how tangy this is! I don’t bring sun-dried tomatoes to the table enough. I think I’m going to rock this next week as a side to a grilled dinner!
Amanda {Striped Spatula} says
Thanks, Dana, and yes! This pasta salad is great with anything grilled. I hope you enjoy it!
Lisa says
This is a beautiful artichoke pasta salad — I saw your photo on Instagram and immediately popped over to your site to check out the recipe. One of the things I appreciate about your site is how dedicated you are to testing your recipes. Going back 5 times for this pasta salad shows real commitment, but I’m so glad you did. The Sun-Dried Tomato vinaigrette is inspired.
Aleta says
WOW! This pasta salad looks SO SO GOOD!! That vinaigrette? A must try! And your photography is simply stunning :)
Gloria says
I have never worked with fresh artichokes, or frozen for that matter. I always use canned or marinated. This pasta looks divine. No need for meat…so much flavour going on here. I would make a meal out of this….just pour a glass of wine and call this dinner. I think I will look for frozen artichokes next time I am shopping. Now you have me intrigued to find them.
Sarah says
I’m so glad you kept trying and got this recipe right– It’s fabulous! Also, I had absolutely no idea that you could buy artichoke hearts frozen– I’m going look for them! What a perfect summer pasta salad :D (And I love the video!)