Who wants some roasted tomato Italian pasta salad?! We are in the thick of Summer and everyone knows that also means pasta salad season. There’s nothing better than a pasta salad with tons of fresh ingredients to serve as a side with any type of meal (or as a meal itself!) especially at outdoor gatherings. Whether that’s at your own home, cabin, or a park, your favorite team of real estate agents has you covered with this delicious roasted tomato Italian pasta salad.
Raw tomatoes commonly make appearances in just about every kind of salad but, if you aren’t a huge raw tomato fan, you should strongly consider trying out this roasted tomato Italian pasta salad inspired by this Joy Food Sunshine recipe! Roasting the tomatoes in olive oil with salt and pepper in the oven before incorporating them into the dish really makes this one stand out. The flavor of the tomato is amplified but without the taste and texture being too overpowering. Combining the roasted tomatoes with the peppers, pepperoni, fresh mozzarella + parmesan and the homemade dressing creates quite the Italian dream. Plus, it makes 10 whole servings yet is downright easy to make!
INGREDIENTS
Pasta salad (makes 10 cups in total):
- 16oz/4 cups uncooked tri-color rotini pasta
- 1 cup chopped pepperoni
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese balls
- 1 small cucumber diced
- 2 cups bell pepper diced (green, red, orange, yellow or all!)
- 2 (6 oz) cans sliced black olives (we chose to incorporate Kalamata olives instead)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Homemade Italian Dressing:
- 1 cup olive oil
- ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Roasted tomatoes:
- 2 pints baby tomatoes
- 2 TBS olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Roasted Tomatoes:
- Start with roasting the tomatoes
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
- Cut the baby tomatoes in half
- In a bowl, toss the halved tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper
- Evenly spread the tomatoes onto a large baking sheet and bake for 60-90 minutes depending on how roasted you prefer them
Pasta:
- While the tomatoes are roasting, cook the pasta
- Cook according to the package directions – we’d suggest boiling the noodles to a “firm” level which is between el dente and soft
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and rinse with cold water before setting it aside
Dressing:
- Put all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix until well combined
Pasta Salad:
- Skin the cucumber then dice it along with the pepperoni and the peppers
- Either cut the mozzarella balls in half or leave them whole depending on how large you prefer them to be
Combining Everything:
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, and Parmesan cheese
- Add the dressing and thoroughly mix the ingredients to ensure it is all well combined
- Lastly, add in the roasted tomatoes and toss to evenly disperse everything
- Let the combined ingredients cool in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight) before serving
Don’t just take our word for it, try out this roasted tomato Italian pasta salad for your next summer feast and share the results with us. We’d love to get your thoughts on the roasted tomato instead of raw tomato spin!