Cold Tri-Color Penne Pasta Salad with Olives & Eggplant
Tri-color penne pasta is the perfect way to make pasta salad pop with color, as well as semolina and veggie pasta flavor. Try it out and give a nod to Mediterranean Diet Month with this healthy and delicious cold pasta salad recipe with cherry tomatoes, eggplant, and a kick of red pepper flakes.
Check out our Mediterranean diet-friendly recipes to get more of an idea where opportunities for eating well exist this month and every month. For more pasta salad recipe inspiration check out our collection of other tri-color penne pasta salads.
Tri-Color Penne Mediterranean Pasta Salad
Servings: 4Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 box Barilla Tri-Color Penne
1 garlic clove
¼ cup vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, halved
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red pepper, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small eggplant, thinly sliced
¾ cup black olives
⅓ cup capers, drained
1 tablespoon parsley, finely diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Cook tri-color penne according to box instructions.
2. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Place on sheet tray to cool down.
3. Crush the garlic clove, add half the vinegar, half the oil and a pinch of salt.
4. Add the rest of the vinegar and oil.
5. Heat skillet with two tablespoons of oil. Lightly brown the red pepper and cherry tomatoes. Set aside.
6. Add salt and pepper to the eggplant. Sauté it.
7. Combine tri color penne pasta with the olives, capers and dressing.
8. Garnish pasta salad with parsley and serve!