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Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts

A delightful and colorful dish perfect as a side or main course, packed with veggies, herbs, and toasted pine nuts.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Vegetables
  • 1 lb rotini pasta, cooked and cooled
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ medium red onion, finely diced
  • ¾ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
  • ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
  • ½ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
Dressing and Seasoning
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil or Mediterranean-style dressing
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Toasted Pine Nuts
  • ½ cup pine nuts

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Place the cooked and cooled rotini in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Top with the halved cherry tomatoes and finely diced red onion. Add the Kalamata olives and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
  3. Drizzle the olive oil or dressing evenly over the pasta. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  4. Gently toss everything together until the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated.
  5. Sprinkle in the fresh basil and chopped dill. Toss gently again to distribute the herbs throughout the salad.
  6. Add the pine nuts to a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 2–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly golden and fragrant. Watch them closely because they can brown quickly.
  7. Pour the warm toasted pine nuts over the pasta salad and give everything one final gentle toss.
  8. Transfer to a large serving plate or bowl. Garnish with extra fresh dill and a few toasted pine nuts.

Notes

You can serve this pasta salad immediately or let it chill in the fridge for an hour for even better flavor. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. If the salad seems dry after a day in the fridge, add a drizzle of olive oil or dressing before serving again. Use whole wheat rotini for a healthier option and feel free to customize the vegetables based on what you have.