Description
Orecchiette Bruschetta Pasta Salad is a vibrant and refreshing dish that’s perfect for summer gatherings, picnics, or a light dinner at home. With its delightful combination of sweet cherry tomatoes, fragrant basil, zesty lemon, and hearty orecchiette pasta, this salad offers a burst of flavors in every bite. The simplicity of this recipe makes it an ideal choice for using fresh seasonal produce from your garden or local farmers market. Enjoy it as a satisfying main course or a delightful side dish, making it versatile enough to complement any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb orecchiette pasta
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup fresh basil (thinly sliced)
- 4–6 cloves garlic (grated)
- 2 lemons (zested and juiced)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the Tomatoes: Halve the cherry tomatoes and combine them with grated garlic, olive oil, lemon juice (and optional zest) in a bowl. Season with sea salt and let sit at room temperature.
- Cook the Orecchiette: Boil water in a large pot, add coarse salt, and cook orecchiette according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Combine Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, mix the cooked pasta with the marinated tomatoes and their juices. Gently toss in fresh basil.
- Adjust Seasonings: Taste the salad and adjust seasoning as needed with more lemon juice or salt.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240g)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 41g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg