Italian pasta salad with tomatoes and artichoke hearts
5
Points®
Total Time
28 min
Prep
18 min
Cook
10 min
Serves
6
Difficulty
Easy
This easy pasta salad is meant to be made at the height of summer when fresh tomatoes are at their glorious, unrivaled peak. Be sure to use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find—their juices will add wonderful flavor to the dressing. The chopped artichoke hearts add a briny bite to every forkful. Cellentani pasta, also known as cavatappi, is macaroni that is formed into a spiral shape, but if you can’t find that variety, feel free to use whatever shape you prefer, although short pastas like penne, rotini, and macaroni would work best. Make this a meal by adding some grilled or sautéed chicken or shrimp.
Ingredients
Tomato
1 pound(s), ripe beefsteak or Campari, chopped (3 cups)
Bell pepper
2 item(s), small, yellow and orange, diced (1 ½ cups)
Canned artichoke hearts, drained
14 oz, drained, roughly chopped
Fresh basil
1 cup(s), torn or coarsely chopped
Red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp
Extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp
Table salt
½ tsp, (plus extra for cooking pasta)
Black pepper
½ tsp, freshly ground
Garlic powder
¼ tsp, or more to taste
Uncooked pasta
6 oz, cellentani recommended (2 cups)
Shredded parmesan cheese
⅓ cup(s), or shaved, divided