Marinated Pesto Rosso Salad

A colorful medley of vegetables, including purple cauliflower, is dressed with a sun-dried tomato pesto rosso in this marinated salad recipe.

• Preparation Time: 40 mins
• Cooking Time: 16 mins
• Total Time: 56 mins
• Calories: 574 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) package sun-dried tomato pasta
• 1 cup asparagus tips
• 1 ½ cups thinly sliced roasted red peppers
• 1 cup halved yellow pear tomatoes
• 1 cup thinly sliced zucchini
• 1 cup thinly sliced yellow summer squash
• 1 cup purple cauliflower florets
• 1 cup thinly sliced fennel
• ½ cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cups sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and oil reserved
• 4 cloves roasted garlic
• 1 ¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta at a boil, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain. Let pasta chill.

Step 2

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add asparagus tips and cook uncovered until bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain.

Step 3

Mix pasta, asparagus tips, roasted red peppers, onion, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, fennel, and parsley in a large bowl.

Step 4

Combine sun-dried tomatoes, basil leaves, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, mascarpone cheese, roasted garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Process together and slowly add reserved sun-dried tomato oil and olive oil. Blend until dressing is smooth.

Step 5

Pour dressing over pasta-vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.