Blistered Tomato Basil Pasta Salad w/Truffle Oil is an ideal spring and summer side dish. Fresh minced garlic and white truffle oil mingle with basil, blistered tomatoes and farfalle (bow tie) pasta. An irresistible dish!
So this pasta salad is such a great addition to the menu in spring and summer. I’d planned to share this recipe today some time ago, little knowing that Mother Nature had a belated and naughty April Fool’s trick up her sleeve. So here it is April and yesterday morning we wake up to several inches of snow. Then today we wake up to several more inches of snow. And then it snows all day long! So it’s been a Currier & Ives kind of day, but the kind you wish for at Christmas, not in April.
The crocuses have already bloomed in our yard and the green lily and tulip shoots are just coming up. Sure hope they survive, but hard to know at this point, since they’re presently buried under piles of the white stuff. I don’t think the forecasters really expected all this snow, at least I didn’t hear anything about it. All the kids went to school as usual this morning, then Jon and I slipped out, did a little shopping, slid around on the snowy, icy roads. Dropped in at Panera, nabbed the fire-side seats and savored a bowl of hot soup. It was definitely a soup day! We made the best of this crazy New England spring weather and were determined to get out of the house.
So I’m really hoping it’ll warm up around here soon so we can grill out and have this delicious Blistered Tomato Basil Pasta Salad w/Truffle Oil. This easy gourmet pasta salad is the perfect accompaniment to grilled chicken, beef or fish. Makes an easy and impressive side dish to take along to a picnic or barbecue.
Just a few easy gourmet touches in this Basil Pasta Salad: blistered tomatoes, fresh minced garlic and white truffle oil. The grape tomatoes blister up quickly up in a skillet with a little olive oil and are so pretty and mouthwatering.
I’d never tried white truffle oil in a pasta salad before, but got some in my Christmas stocking and thought I’d try it out. Here’s some interesting information posted on the back of the Napa Valley Harvest White Truffle Oil bottle.
“Made from extra virgin olive oil and white truffles, this aromatic and earthy oil is known throughout the world for its incomparable taste. These jewels of the earth are found by specially-trained “truffle pigs” and are harvested in September at night by trifolau (truffle pickers.) Once you taste this wonderful aromatic oil, you will consider this a pantry staple. Drizzle over pasta or atop risotto, or add a dash to crisply sauteed vegetables.” (So what do you think? Specially trained HOGS find the truffles in the middle of the night…)
The white truffle oil mingles with the garlic and basil in this pasta salad, giving rich flavor to the blistered tomatoes and pasta. If you don’t have white truffle oil in your pantry, you can easily use vegetable oil or even corn oil in this recipe. This is such a flavor-filled, pretty Basil Pasta Salad.
Sure hope it’s sunny and warm grilling weather wherever you are so you can enjoy this pasta salad very soon!
Blistered Tomato Basil Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves cut in strips
- 1 1/2 tablespoon white truffle oil or vegetable oil or corn oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 6 ounces pasta farfalle bowties, cooked & drained
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- olive oil to saute w/the tomatoes.
Instructions
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in skillet over high heat.
- (Watch carefully so you'd don't burn the oil)
- Add grape tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes more 'til blistered.
- Remove from heat, salt and pepper to taste.
- Set aside.
- In medium serving bowl toss together cooked pasta bowties, fresh basil strips, 1 1/2 tablespoons truffle oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, and salt.
- Toss to combine.
- Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
- Serve immediately warm or at room temperature.
Notes
You may also like: Crunchy Asian Salad
Adina says
April is crazy, isn’t it? We had almost 20 degrees Celsius yesterday (warm), today is raining continously and the weather forecast predicts snow on Thursday…. No wonder everybody has a cold. I love this salad, those tomatoes must be great!!
Cynthia | what a girl eats says
This is my kind of pasta salad! I can’t wait for the tomatoes to ripen!
Catherine says
Dear Allie, what an irresistible dish indeed! Can you believe this weather?! Just last week I had my flowers started. I love dishes that remind me of warmer days ahead. Your pasta salad looks and sounds absolutely marvelous my dear. Keep warm! xo, Catherine
Kristen @A Mind Full Mom says
Mother nature has been cruel!! I went north to see my family for spring break and it snowed on us too while it was 75 and sunny at home 🙁 But I enjoyed this visit and would devour this salad rain, sun, sleet or snow!
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
We still have a crazy dark cold weather here. Oh! I am so longing for a warm and summer. Absolutely yum and inviting looking pasta dear, Allie. So gorgeous and summer-y! Hope you are having a good time! 🙂
Karla @SmallTownRambler says
Another delicious looking recipe, Allie! Now I’m ready to plant my veggies and herbs. Tomato + basil is one of my favorite combos!
laura@motherwouldknow says
I know just what you mean about Mother Nature playing tricks on us. I started to put my winter clothes away, and had to go grab them back as I layer sweaters on. but this looks good enough that if I have a hot cup of soup with it, I won’t mind that it’s a cold dish.
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
Blistered tomatoes are my favorite way to eat them once the temps warm up and this pasta will surely be on the menu this year!
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says
Oh dear – that is such a lot of snow! And in April too! This year my tulips didn’t even bloom – we had such a warm spell in December, then things got cold and then warm and confused the heck out of my tulips! But I sure hope yours bloom – they are some of my fav. flowers! Glad you and Jon got out of the house – I would’ve been one big chicken and stayed in ALL week – or till whenever everything melted!
But – really, you don’t have to wait for spring to enjoy this delicious pasta salad -do you?! My daughter loves pasta salads and that truffle oil, garlic and blistered tomatoes are such a wonderful combo!
I sure hope it warms up some for y’all, Allie! xo
Susie Mandel says
Oooh, this sounds and looks SO yummy! Hope I can find the white truffle oil down south here. 😉
Michelle | A Dish of Daily Life says
I can’t wait for summer tomatoes! This looks wonderful, Allie! I’ll be trying it once the farmer’s market opens back up and we have local tomatoes again. 🙂
And the snow…ugh! We actually had a delay the other day…weird weather. Of course, after last winter, I can’t really complain. But I am ready for spring and summer.
Carina says
This looks so delicious! I would love to try that oil. I love the subtleties of rich flavour that oils can bring to a dish. Spring snowstorms always feel a bit out of place, don’t they? We are also experiencing colder weather, and a bit of snow around here, lately, after a few lovely weeks of Spring-like weather. But we didn’t get flowers, yet, and I sure hope yours survive. Hopefully the weather will warm up pleasantly soon and we can put winter behind us and get grilling! Take care, Allie. XOXO
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
My fingers are crossed that it warms up near you, Allie! I’m glad you are finally sharing this salad, because it looks fresh and fabulous! Blistered tomatoes are the jam, and so is truffle oil, so this pasta salad is screamin’ my name!! You call this a side dish, I say hand me a shovel, watch me eat a vat and call this dinner! 😉 So much deliciousness! Cheers, dear friend! xoxo
Taylor@Food Faith Fitness says
Snow in April? Mother Nature needs to realize it’s spring! BTW this salad=GENIUS!
Kellie says
This will be made in my house for sure!! looks delicious. I can’t wait to try it! Thank you!!