Mediterranean Pasta Salad (video)
Mediterranean-inspired pasta salad with juicy grilled pork, arugula, pine nuts, cheese and a zesty dressing!
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds Smithfield Roasted Garlic & Cracked Black Pepper Marinated Fresh Pork Tenderloin
- 1 pound gemelli or rotini pasta
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- ½ cup sliced green and/or kalamata olives
- 1 tbsp capers
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
- ½ pound feta cheese, crumbled
- 6 cups fresh arugula
- Zest from 1 lemon
- Freshly ground black pepper
For Dressing:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp EACH: dried thyme, dried rosemary
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 minced garlic cloves
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, season with salt and cook desired pasta according to package instructions; drain and keep warm.
- Prepare the herbed garlic vinaigrette: in a cup or bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.
- Preheat outdoor grill to medium/high heat, about 475F – 500F. Remove the pork tenderloin from its packaging and slice into 1-inch medallions. Once grill is hot, cook the medallions 4 to 5 minutes per side. Keep the grill lid closed for faster cooking.
- Remove the grilled tenderloin onto a clean tray and allow the meat to rest for a few minutes. Cut the medallions into smaller, bite sized pieces for the salad.
- In an extra-large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients together with the warm pasta, the cubed tenderloin, lemon zest, ground black pepper and dressing. Toss together until all the ingredients are well combined. Serve the salad warm as a main dish or side dish.
Nutrition
Calories: 720kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 1108mg | Potassium: 990mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 739IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 264mg | Iron: 4mg