Tomato Orecchiette Pasta Salad

Our Orecchiette Pasta Salad is so good.

It’s made with sun-ripened cherry tomatoes.

Plus, a few other ingredients from our garden, like fresh arugula and sweet basil.

But there’s also EVOO, sea salt, and cracked black peppercorns, and our Tomato Vinaigrette ties it all together. 

Tomato Orecchiette Pasta Salad Recipe

Tomatoes are the star of our Summer Pasta Salad, with good reason.

But we’re not talking about just any tomatoes; we’re talking about cherry tomatoes.

Did you know there are over one hundred types of cherry tomatoes?

Which means you have over a hundred reasons to try them. 

What You Will Need

Cherry Tomatoes. For this recipe, we used the following tomato varieties: Juliette, Sun Gold, Super Sweet, Black Cherry, and Champagne Bubbles, but feel free to use your favorite cheery or grape tomatoes; the fresher, the better.

Orecchiette Pasta. I love using orecchiette pasta because its shape holds the tomato vinaigrette, and it’s perfect for this delicious, super fresh garden pasta salad. 

Arugula & Sweet Basil. When it comes to a summer pasta salad, I love adding a little greenery; in this case, I used fresh arugula and sweet basil from our garden. But you can also use:

• chopped spinach or your favorite salad greens
• green onion
• chives
• chopped broccoli
•  mint

Pecorino Romano. When it comes to pasta salads (or just pasta), this is my go-to cheese.

It reminds me of Parmesan but has a more pronounced and robust flavor.

You can also try:

• asiago
• Parmigiano Reggiano
• grano pandano 
• piave

Ingredients for Summer Tomato Pasta Salad

serving 4-5

• 16 ounces orecchiette pasta
• 1 1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup chopped arugula
• 1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese, an additional 1/2 cup for serving (or you can use Parmigiano Reggiano) 
• 8 to 10 sweet basil leaves rolled and sliced into ribbons
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt or kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

Directions for Summer Tomato Pasta Salad

1. Cut 1 1/2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes in half.
2. Rough chop 1 cup arugula and 8 to 10 large sweet basil leaves. 
3. Grate 1 to 1 1/2 cups of Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano. (Set 1/2 cup of it aside to use for topping)
4. Following the package instructions, cook 16 ounces of orecchiette pasta until it’s al dente.
5. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water until cool to the touch. 
6. Toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt or kosher salt. 
7. Add the prepared tomatoes, arugula, sweet basil, 1 cup of grated cheese, and our easy tomato vinaigrette (about 3/4 cup to 1 cup), then gently toss in 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. 
8. Next, add sea salt or kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
9. If you have time, refrigerate the salad for about 15-20 minutes. This allows time for the flavors to come together.
10. Add more dressing if needed before serving.
11. Serve in salad bowls and top with more grated cheese. 

How to Make Tomato Vinaigrette

makes about  1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 3/4  cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp balsamic glaze
• 3 tbsp agave syrup (pure maple syrup, honey, or pomegranate molasses) 
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 10 cherry tomatoes (I used a combination of Juliett’s, Sun Sugars, Champagne Bubbles, Black Cherry, and Super Sweet)
• pinch of sea salt to taste
•  freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste 

Directions for Easy Tomato Vinaigrette

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth, about a minute or until all the tomatoes are fully broken down and the vinaigrette is smooth. 
2. Make ahead or serve immediately. 

How long will the vinaigrette keep in the fridge? 

Although vinaigrettes taste best when freshly made, our easy tomato vinaigrette can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four (3-4) days. 

How do you store homemade vinaigrette?

Use an airtight container to store your homemade dressing. Glass jars with tight-fitting lids, plastic containers, or food-safe squeeze bottles work well.

Make sure the container is clean and dry before adding the dressing.

Label the container with the type of dressing and the date it was made.

This helps you keep track of its freshness and quickly identify it in the fridge.

Basic vinaigrettes (oil and vinegar-based) can last 1-2 weeks in the fridge.

Creamy dressings with dairy ingredients should be consumed within 1-2 weeks.

Before using the dressing, please give it a good shake or stir to recombine any separated ingredients. This will ensure that you get the intended flavor and consistency.

Can I make pasta salad ahead of time? 

For best results, it is recommended to make pasta salad 8 hours in advance, but no longer than 12 hours.

Another option is to prep all the ingredients and store them in individual containers, then combine them when you’re ready to make the pasta salad. 

How long will pasta salad keep in the fridge?

Properly stored in an airtight container, pasta salad is good for three (3) to five (5) days.

Our Tomato Pasta Salad comes together quickly for an easy lunch or side.

It’s also perfect for cookouts and picnics. 

And it’s super versatile; you can get your favorite garden veggies, cheeses, seafood, or other proteins like chicken, beef, or pork.

So, grab the ingredients and enjoy making this delicious salad. 

And if you have any questions or want to say hello, drop us a comment below.

More Recipes:

Creamy Tomato Salmon Recipe

Summer Salad with Blueberries

Mediterranean Chickpea Pasta Salad

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

How To Make Tomato Orecchiette Pasta Salad

Our Orecchiette Pasta Salad is so good. It's made with sun-ripened cherry tomatoes. Plus, a few other ingredients from our garden, like fresh arugula and sweet basil. But there's also EVOO, sea salt, and cracked black peppercorns, and our Tomato Vinaigrette ties it all together. 

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x4x5x

• 16 ounces orecchiette pasta
• 1 1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup chopped arugula
• 1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese plus more for serving (or you can use parmigiano reggiano)
• 8 to 10 sweet basil leaves rolled and sliced into ribbons
• 1-2 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt or kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice

Instructions

• Cut 1 1/2 cups of cherry or grape tomatoes in half.
• Rough chop 1 cup arugula and 8 to 10 large sweet basil leaves.
• Grate 1 to 1 1/2 cups of Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano. (Set 1/2 cup of it aside to use for topping)
• Following the package instructions, cook 16 ounces of orecchiette pasta until it's al dente.
• Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water until cool to the touch.
• Toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt or kosher salt.
• Add the prepared tomatoes, arugula, sweet basil, 1 cup of grated cheese, and our easy tomato vinaigrette (about 3/4 cup to 1 cup), then gently toss in 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. 
• Next, add sea salt or kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
• If you have time, refrigerate the salad for about 15-20 minutes. This allows time for the flavors to come together.
• Add more dressing if needed before serving.
• Serve in salad bowls and top with more grated cheese.

Notes

How to Make Tomato Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 3/4  cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp balsamic glaze
• 3 tbsp agave syrup (pure maple syrup, honey, or pomegranate molasses) 
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 10 cherry tomatoes (I used a combination of Juliett's, Sun Sugars, Champagne Bubbles, Black Cherry, and Super Sweet)
• pinch of sea salt to taste
•  freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste 

Directions for Easy Tomato Vinaigrette

1. Add all ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth in about a minute. 
2. Make ahead or serve immediately. 

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