Italian Pasta Salad with Sundried Tomato Balsamic Dressing (Oil-Free)
A no-mayo Italian pasta salad with white beans, arugula, roasted red peppers, and kalamata olives, tossed in an oil-free sundried tomato balsamic dressing with toasted walnuts and fennel.
Ingredients
For the Sundried Tomato Balsamic Dressing:
- 1/4 cup dry-packed sundried tomatoes
- Scant 1/4 cup walnut halves
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
- 2 tablespoons shallot roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Fresh black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
For the Pasta Salad:
- 8 oz shell pasta
- 1 15 oz can great northern or navy beans rinsed and drained
- 4 cups arugula
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers chopped
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup walnut halves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook the pasta:
- Boil the pasta in well-salted water until just al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cool.
Toast the walnuts:
- Heat a dry skillet over medium heat, add all the walnuts (the ones to top it with, too), and toast, stirring often, until fragrant and varying shades of brown, about 7 minutes. Set aside a scant 1/4 cup for the dressing and the rest for the salad.
Rehydrate the sundried tomatoes:
- While walnuts are toasting, submerge the sundried tomatoes in warm water and soak for about 15 minutes, then drain.
Make the dressing:
- Transfer the scant 1/4 cup walnuts to a blender or food processor with the fennel seed and pulse to finely chop. Add the drained sundried tomatoes, shallot, water, balsamic vinegar, dijon, salt, and pepper and puree until relatively smooth. Add the marjoram and pulse a few times to incorporate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Assemble:
- Combine the pasta, beans, arugula, red onion, roasted red peppers, olives, and reserved walnuts in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. Taste for salt. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
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