Description
Orecchiette Bruschetta Pasta Salad is a vibrant, refreshing dish that perfectly captures the essence of summer. This meatless pasta salad combines sweet cherry tomatoes, fragrant basil, zesty lemon juice, and aromatic garlic to create a delightful medley of flavors. Ideal for picnics, barbecues, or light weeknight dinners, this salad not only impresses with its taste but also showcases your culinary skills with minimal effort. Easy to prepare and highly customizable, it allows you to incorporate your favorite ingredients while ensuring a nutritious meal packed with vitamins. Serve it as a main course or a side dish and watch it become a favorite at any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb orecchiette pasta
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup fresh basil (thinly sliced or torn)
- 4–6 cloves garlic (grated into paste)
- 2 lemons (zested + juiced)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the tomato mixture by halving the cherry tomatoes and mixing them with grated garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and optional zest in a bowl. Let sit.
- Cook the orecchiette in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Combine the cooked pasta with the marinated tomato mixture in a large mixing bowl and gently stir in fresh basil.
- Adjust seasonings as needed before serving chilled or at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 305
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 240mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg