Ingredients:
- 450 gram (1 lb) fusilli, rotini, cavatappi, or cheese tortellin
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup Kalamata olives, halved
- 3/4 cup green olives, halved
- 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup capers or caper berries, roughly chopped if large
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
- 1 can (about 170 g/6 oz) high-quality tuna packed in olive oil, gently flaked, drained of oil or water If using tuna packed in olive oil, reserve the oil for the dressing and top it up with olive oil if needed.
Tomato Puttanesca Vinaigrette
- 2-3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or glaze
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp chili flakes or red pepper flakes (reduce to taste if you prefer less heat)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions:
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions until just al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than the suggested cooking time.
- Drain and immediately rinse under cold water until completely cool. Set aside to drain well.
- While the pasta cools, prepare the remaining ingredients. Halve the cherry tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion, halve the Kalamata and green olives, roughly chop the capers if using caper berries, tear the fresh basil, and gently flake the tuna into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, dried oregano, onion powder, chili flakes, and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil (including the reserved tuna oil if using), whisking constantly until the dressing is thick, smooth, and fully emulsified.
- Add the cooled pasta to the bowl, followed by the cherry tomatoes, olives, red onion, capers, fresh basil, and tuna.
- Toss everything together until every piece of pasta is evenly coated in the tomato puttanesca vinaigrette.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with another splash of vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil, or additional black pepper if needed.
- For the best flavour, refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the dressing to soak into the pasta and the flavours to meld together.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Don't forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment!
Remove some of the seeds from the tomatoes if you're making this salad ahead of time. It helps prevent excess liquid from watering down the dressing.
Fusilli, rotini, and cavatappi all do an excellent job of catching the tomato vinaigrette, while cheese tortellini creates a richer, more indulgent version.
If you love traditional spaghetti alla puttanesca, add a few finely chopped anchovies to the dressing for even more savoury depth.
This pasta salad tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep, picnics, and BBQs.
Serve with grilled meats, seafood, burgers, or warm focaccia for an easy Mediterranean-inspired meal.