Farfalle salad with sun dried tomatoes and arugula

Fancy a summery light recipe? Then treat yourself to this farfalle salad with sun-dried tomatoes and arugula.

Welcome to summer. The temperatures have climbed so high on the thermometer that you can quickly lose your appetite.

Do you break out in a sweat at the thought of lasagna, pizza or a casserole? That's similar for me. I can only eat a little on warm days.

Nevertheless, it is important to eat at least a little bit, otherwise the circulation can quickly go downhill.

A Farfalle salad with dried tomatoes and arugula is just right. It does not burden the body, is easily digestible and tastes just mega delicious.

By the way, farfalle salad is also a great side dish for barbecue!

What ingredients make Farfalle salad with sun-dried tomatoes and arugula so special

Before we get straight to the recipe, I would like to say a few words about the ingredients. After all, you should know what you eat and why I have chosen exactly these ingredients.

I also tell you how you can refine the pasta salad and what you should not do without.

If you have a greasy mayo sauce, ham and cheese in front of your eyes when you think of pasta salad and have to shake your head, you're like me. Such a boring and overly greasy pasta salad I do not like at all.

But I could always eat a light farfalle salad with sundried tomatoes and arugula.

Totally delicious: watermelon feta salad with arugula!

Farfalle in pasta salad

I love these noodles. They just look so adorable. Plus, you can eat them in one bite and don't have to cut them open. So, since I like to avoid any extra exercise on hot days, these noodles are just right.

Instead of normal Farfalle from white wheat flour, however, I take spelt flour. In large supermarkets you can even buy spelt wholemeal farfalle. Look around a bit. If there is no such thing, you have the choice of normal spelt pasta or whole wheat pasta.

If you are between this decision, I always advise you to whole grains. That keeps you full longer and prevents cravings. Optimal in summer.

By the way, if you don't have farfalle for the pasta salad, then of course you can also use spiral noodles or penne. It makes no difference in taste.

Dried tomatoes in farfalle salad

Tomatoes can not be missing in the summer at all. I could eat them every day. In the Farfalle salad with sun-dried tomatoes and arugula end up triple tomatoes.

Dried, fresh and to top it off tomato paste.

They just go wonderfully with pasta and arugula. And let's be honest: You just have to love tomatoes 😋.

Dried tomatoes are particularly aromatic and very intense. I like to use those that are preserved in oil. I put a little of the oil on the salad to make it even juicier.

For that extra tomato flavor, I use a little tomato paste. It is highly concentrated and even a small amount is enough to color the pasta.

Arugula in Mediterranean pasta salad

As is well known, the eye eats with you. But arugula is more than just a visual prettifier. It brings a delicious slightly spicy flavor to the recipe.

The mustard oils in this salad are what provides the pungency and makes it very interesting for our body. But the green leaves also contain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

Arugula convinces with a lot of beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C, potassium and calcium. The mustard oils and bitter substances are said to be able to prevent cancer. The salad is packed with antioxidants that fight free radicals and keep our body healthy.

In short, you should always reach for arugula. If you don't like the spicy taste, use it to conjure up recipes like farfalle salad with sun-dried tomatoes and arugula. Here the taste is not so intense and is well balanced by the other ingredients.

This farfalle salad with sun-dried tomatoes and arugula is

• vegan and therefore free from all animal products,
• packed with vitamins and nutrients,
• optimal on hot days,
• a good side dish for the barbecue,
• perfectly suitable for novice cooks,
• the perfect food to take away or for a picnic.

Perfect for hot days: cucumber salad with sour cream!

What side dishes go well with Mediterranean pasta salad

So I don't need any side dishes. But just recently a reader emailed me and asked what you can serve with the farfalle salad.

If you want, you can eat a roll or a piece of bread with it. I honestly can't think of anything else right now. If you feel that the salad is not filling enough, you can stir in more vegetables or use more pasta.

By the way, if you want a salad but don't have any noodles on hand, you could also try this couscous salad with feta taste

With what recipe to make the best farfalle salad with sun-dried tomatoes and arugula

If you've never made a pasta salad before, then you'll find very detailed step-by-step instructions for the recipe here. If you often make pasta salad and are already very skilled, then you will find a short version of the recipe at the end of the post.

Here comes the detailed instructions with lots of tips and tricks to make it a sure success.

The recipe is enough for two people.

Ingredients

• 180 g noodles
• 50 g dried tomatoes in oil
• 100 g cherry tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons mixed nuts and seeds
• 1 handful arugula
• 2 tablespoons oat yogurt
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 tablespoons oil (I use the oil from the pickled tomatoes)
• To taste: salt, pepper

Also: cooking pot, bowl, knife, board, pan

1. prepare the pasta

In order for the Farfalle salad with dried tomatoes and arugula to succeed, the pasta must be cold. Therefore, you must first cook them and then let them cool. While they are getting cold, you prepare the other ingredients. Most of the time it turns out exactly.

At least if you rinse the pasta in cold water right after cooking and then put it in a large bowl, spaced far apart.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. When the water is bubbling, add salt. By the way, not adding the salt to the water beforehand is a tip from the series "Cooking pasta for professionals". You can read why it's smarter to let the water boil first in the blog post.

Cook the pasta according to the instructions. This takes 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the variety.

Once the pasta is ready, pour off the water and rinse it with ice-cold water. Put them aside and let them cool in a bowl.

2. prepare the tomatoes

Take the dried tomatoes out of the jar with a fork. Cut them into small pieces. This works quite well, by the way, if you spear them with the fork and cut around.

The sun-dried tomatoes can now already to the warm pasta.

Meanwhile, you can prepare the fresh tomatoes. Wash them and cut them into small pieces. I prefer to use cherry tomatoes because they have the most flavor. The tomatoes can also be added to the pasta.

Just like the tomato paste. It is best to stir it in with your hands so that it is well distributed.

3. roast the nuts

Chop the nuts into small pieces. I take a mixture of hazelnut, walnut and pine nuts.

Grab a frying pan. Roast the nuts in it. Very important: without oil! As soon as the nuts get color and start to smell, they are ready.

Be sure to take them out of the pan now, otherwise they will burn even if the pan is no longer on the stove.

Put them aside in a bowl. They come later at the very end on the salad, because otherwise they suck and have no bite.

4. prepare the arugula for the pasta salad

Now comes an extra charge of flavor in the farfalle salad with sun-dried tomatoes and arugula.

Wash the arugula thoroughly.

Cut it into pieces of about 3 cm.

Make sure the pasta is cool by now. If you add the arugula to the warm farfalle, it will wilt immediately and won't taste as good.

If the pasta is still too warm, put it in the refrigerator.

5. mix salad together and season to taste

Add the oat yogurt to the salad and stir it in with a spoon.

Now add the curry powder. Mix well.

Then still and fold in the oil of the pickled tomatoes.

Now we are almost ready. Add the arugula to the pasta salad and season with salt and pepper. Done!

Just before eating, sprinkle the toasted nuts over the farfalle salad.

You can either eat it right now or let it sit until tomorrow. My recommendation: If you are not starving, you should let it sit. Then the noodles absorb the flavor really well.

If you want to prepare it for tomorrow, do not mix in the arugula and nuts yet. The arugula will certainly become mushy by tomorrow and won't look very appetizing.

In the refrigerator, the Farfalle salad with dried tomatoes and without arugula will easily keep for two days. If you have already stirred in the arugula, you should eat it within a day.

How you can refine the farfalle salad

The recipe does not quite convince you? Does not matter, tastes are known to be different. If you are still looking for inspiration, try these ingredients:

• Olives or capers
• Lamb's lettuce
• Balsamic vinegar
• Lemon zest or lemon juice
• Herbs like parsley, chives, dill
• Corn or beans
• Chickpeas
• Mozzarella
• Peas
• Bell bell pepper or cucumber
• Nuts and seeds of all kinds - such as pine nuts, cashew, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, Flaxseed*pumpkin seeds, almonds, hazelnuts
• Radish
• Zucchini
• Carrot
• Potatoes
• Spices such as paprika powder, chili salt, curry powder, herb salt

Our conclusion

Farfalle salad with sun-dried tomatoes and arugula is one of my favorite recipes in the summer. It is quick to prepare, can be prepared in the evening and is not heavy on the stomach.

Good luck and enjoy it!

To browse further:

• Juicy kidney bean burger: the delicious 10 minute veggie burger
• Cooking pumpkin in the oven - Delicious pumpkin wedges from the oven
• The most delicious plum compote in the world + preserving instructions

* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
Read more