Pasta fredda (cold pasta salad) dressed in a creamy sun-dried tomato and ricotta sauce, then combined with fresh cherry tomatoes, mozzarella bocconcini, olives and peppery arugula. It’s easy to make, full of bright summer flavour and perfect for picnics, barbecues or light lunches enjoyed outdoors.
I love pasta salad for warm weather: it can be prepared ahead, travels well and feeds a crowd. This version uses a simple homemade sun-dried tomato paste blended with ricotta for a rich, tangy dressing—so tasty you might be tempted to eat it straight from the bowl.
Although it’s presented as a cold pasta salad, you can serve it warm too—just skip the arugula to prevent wilting.
There are many easy variations included below, so you can adapt the salad to what’s in your fridge or use up leftovers. Enjoy!
Ingredient notes
- Pasta – a spiral or short tube shape works best to trap the sauce. Fusilli bucati corti (used here), regular fusilli, mezze maniche or penne are all good choices.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – choose ones jarred in oil and preferably marinated with herbs for extra depth.
- Bocconcini mozzarella – small mozzarella balls are ideal; if unavailable, cube a regular mozzarella.
- Olives – black olives work well; Kalamata are convenient, but use any olives you enjoy.
- Lemon – optional. A squeeze brightens the sauce but can be omitted if you don’t have one.
- Arugula – provides peppery contrast; substitute baby spinach if you prefer a milder green.
Sauce consistency
The sun-dried tomato and ricotta blend forms a thick paste. Reserve some pasta water to loosen it so the sauce can evenly coat the pasta.
I usually let the pasta cool almost completely before adding most of the sauce, then loosen the sauce with a little more pasta water until the pasta is well coated.
Should I rinse my pasta?
Don’t rinse unless you’re in a hurry. Rinsing washes away starch and flavour and leaves the pasta wetter, which prevents the sauce from clinging as well. If you need to cool the pasta quickly, spread it in an even layer on a tray and toss it with a little sauce or olive oil to prevent sticking.
Make it your own (variations)
Pasta salad is highly flexible—add any of the following to tailor it to your taste or to use what you have on hand:
- Marinated artichokes (chopped or quartered)
- Jarred roasted red peppers (sliced)
- Pine nuts for crunch
- Fresh basil or parsley for herbiness
- Grilled vegetables such as zucchini or eggplant
- Pecorino Romano as an alternative to Parmigiano
- Tuna folded in after saucing for extra protein
- Burrata or stracciatella on top instead of mozzarella
- Cubed cheeses like fontina, provolone, caciocavallo or scamorza for variety
More delicious summer pastas to try
Pasta
Zucchini Shrimp Pasta Salad
Pasta
Orzo Pasta Salad with Grilled Summer Vegetables
Pasta
Summer Tuna Pasta Sauce
Pasta
No Cook Tomato Pasta Sauce
If you try this sun-dried tomato pasta or any other recipe from the blog, please rate it and share how it turned out in the comments — feedback is always appreciated!
Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include step-by-step photos and helpful tips to get great results first time.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Fredda
By Emily
Ingredients
- 2 cups (230g/8oz) short pasta, (we used fusilli bucati corti)
- 1 packed cup (170g) sun-dried tomatoes jarred in oil, drained weight
- 1 garlic clove
- lemon juice, just a squeeze
- 1/4 cup (50g) ricotta
- 5 oz (140g) fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
- 140 g (5oz) mozzarella bocconcini
- Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving
- 1 cup (250ml) reserved pasta water
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt well and cook the pasta until al dente.
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While the pasta cooks, combine drained sun-dried tomatoes, the garlic clove and ricotta in a food processor or use an immersion blender. Blitz to a thick paste. If too dense, add a little of the oil from the jar to loosen. Stir in a squeeze of lemon and set aside.
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Before draining, reserve about 1 cup (250ml) of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl. Stir in roughly 1/4 of the sun-dried tomato paste and a splash of reserved water to prevent sticking.
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Add about 1/4 cup (60ml) of the reserved pasta water to the remaining tomato paste and stir until it loosens to a thicker sauce consistency rather than a paste.
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Allow the pasta to cool for 15–20 minutes, then add the remaining sauce and toss thoroughly. Add more pasta water if needed to achieve a silky coating. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Fold in the cherry tomatoes, olives, arugula and mozzarella. Finish with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Notes
- Adding all the sauce at once – Wait until the pasta has cooled before adding most of the sauce to avoid drying; however, add a small amount of sauce or oil while the pasta is still hot to prevent sticking.
- Mozzarella bocconcini – small bite-sized balls are ideal; if you can’t find them, cut a regular ball of mozzarella into cubes.
- Exact measurements – quantities for tomatoes, olives, mozzarella and greens can be adjusted to taste.
- Storage – the pasta salad keeps well for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in recipes unless stated otherwise.
- When using canned or jarred tomatoes I prefer quality brands for best flavour.
- Vegetable sizes are listed as medium unless noted.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven when applicable.
- Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.