Description
This cold bruschetta pasta salad is a delicious and easy-to-make vegetarian dish that combines juicy cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, fresh basil, and mini mozzarella balls with homemade sourdough breadcrumbs for added crunch and flavor. Perfect for a dinner party, barbecue, or packed lunch.
Ingredients
Pasta:
- 2 cups small pasta shape, dry
Salad:
- Approx. 24 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved (roughly 680 grams or 5 cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 a small shallot, chopped
- Approx. 6 ounces mini bocconcini (mozzarella balls), halved (roughly 180 grams)
- Approx. 1 ounce fresh basil leaves, chopped (28 grams or one standard package)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Breadcrumbs (optional):
- 2 large slices sourdough bread (or other bread of choice)
- 1.5 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta once cooked.
- Prep salad: While pasta cooks, prepare the remainder of the salad ingredients. Add tomatoes, garlic, shallot, bocconcini, olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil, and salt + pepper to a large salad bowl. Toss and let the ingredients sit.
- Make breadcrumbs: Toast bread, tear into smaller pieces, pulse in a food processor until crumbs form. Heat olive oil in a skillet, add breadcrumbs and garlic powder, cook until toasted. Add drained pasta and breadcrumbs to the salad, toss to combine, and season with salt + pepper.
Notes
- LEFTOVERS + MAKE AHEAD: This pasta salad tastes great made in advance! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- RECIPE MODIFICATIONS + TIPS: Use any small pasta shape, choose vine-ripened tomatoes, swap bocconcini for parmigiano-reggiano, use any bread for breadcrumbs, and chop bread if no food processor available.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: Mixing, Tossing
- Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 410mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
