Tasty Tuesdays - #35 - Pasta Salad Caprese with Roasted Garlic and Balsamic Dressing

 

{Recipe via}

 Not only is winter weather getting old, but so is my dinner routine.  Don't get me wrong - warm hearty soups are great - I'm just ready for picnic food and fresh produce.  This pasta salad sounded amazing when I came across it - might be just the thing to get me out of my food rut...

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 1 lb whole wheat rotini pasta
• 1 and 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 of 3oz package of julienned sun dried tomatoes, rehydrated according to directions (feel free to use entire package if you love sun dried tomatoes!)
• 1 lb block mozzarella cheese, cut in 1/2" cubes  

For the dressing:

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup balsamic dressing
• 1 big handful fresh basil leaves
• 4-5 cloves roasted garlic (1-2 cloves minced garlic if you don't have roasted)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to directions.
2. While pasta is cooking, prepare dressing in a blender or food processor by adding ingredients to container and processing until well blended.  Set aside.
3. When pasta is cooked, drain and put in large bowl.  Add 1/2 of dressing and toss to coat well.  Place bowl in refrigerator to cool for 1 hour.
4. While pasta salad is cooling, prep your tomatoes and cheese and set aside in refrigerator until ready to put together.
5. Gently toss grape tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, and cubed mozzarella with remainder of dressing.  Taste for salt and pepper.  Chill pasta salad in refrigerator for another 1-2 hours before serving.
6. If pasta salad becomes dry, simply splash a small amount of balsamic vinegar and gently toss.