Tuna and Artichoke Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 4 cups mini-farfalle pasta cooked very al dente, and chilled
- 6 oz. imported Italian tuna packed in olive oil save about 1Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 can baby artichokes cut into quarters
- 6 oz. Chèvre cheese with sun-dried tomatoes and garlic
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomato vinaigrette or your favorite vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup diced pimentos and juices
- ½ cup pitted sliced Castelvetrano olives
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves cut into thin strips
- ⅔ cup chopped red onions
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes preferably mini Marzanos, if possible, sliced
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds
- sprigs of fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients.
- Cover and refrigerate until time for serving.
- Place full romaine leaves on individual salad plates or large serving platter.
- Garnish with sprigs of basil leaves.
- Serve immediately after removing from the refrigerator.
Notes
- The chèvre cheese is very creamy, so you need to pull of little bits with your (clean) fingers and mix them into the salad or place them on the top of a platter of pasta salad.
- For flavor, I add all of the juice from the tiny jar of diced pimentos and a little dash from the artichokes and olive jars.
- I recommend passing the vinaigrette around or have a small bowl by the platter for guests to serve themselves. This salad can stand on it's own without the vinaigrette, but adding just a drizzle of it is very nice. Do not overpour the vinaigrette to overpower the salad.