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Roast Pepper & Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad (M&S copycat recipe)

A simple Mediterranean pasta salad with a blended sauce that's ready in minutes with no cooking. Included tips on how to make the best pasta salad every time.
Roast Pepper & Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad


WORK LUNCHES


I usually take my own lunch to work, but occasionally I have to pop out and buy something.

I really enjoy Marks and Spencer sandwiches and pasta salads. Believe me, this is lunchtime haute cuisine in Dundee, especially if you only have half an hour to purchase and eat said lunch!


M&S COPYCAT RECIPE


There is one pasta salad in particular that I enjoy, a pasta salad with a small spiral pasta, sunblush tomatoes and feta cheese.

So I did what any self-respecting food blogger would do. I had a look at the list of ingredients and set off home to recreate it myself

Boy it's good!

It is bursting with flavour from the roasted peppers and sundried tomatoes. Top this off with feta (veggie or vegan) and you're in pasta heaven.

If you are looking for a good vegan style Greek feta, try Violife Greek White Block.

It's a great standby recipe as it uses jarred roasted peppers and sundried tomatoes.

Roast Pepper & Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad


WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ROAST PEPPER & SUNDRIED TOMATO PASTA SALAD


  • roasted pepper (plus oil from jar)
  • sundried tomatoes (plus oil from jar)
  • tomato puree
  • garlic
  • red wine vinegar
  • fresh basil leaves
  • feta (dairy or vegan)

TIPS FOR THE BEST PASTA SALAD


Pasta salad is harder to make than you think. If you don't get it right at each stage, you could have over-cooked, claggy pasta that is really unpleasant.

Follow my tips for the perfect pasta salad every time.


  1. Cook pasta in a large pot with a lot of water.
  2. Add salt to the pot, but not oil. No one wants oily pasta, plus your sauce won't still.
  3. Only add the pasta when the water is at a rolling boil and stir it when it is added and a couple of times during cooking to prevent sticking.
  4. Cook the pasta until it is al dente. Check the packet for guidance on cooking times and try the pasta a couple of minutes before it should be ready. It should be cooked but firm.
  5. When the pasta is cooked, drain it in a colander and hold it under cold running water until it is completely cold. This will give you firm, glossy pasta that doesn't go claggy the next day.
  6. Only add the sauce once you have given the pasta a good shake to remove as much water as possible.
  7. Add the sauce and enjoy!

MORE PASTA SALADS TO ENJOY




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Roast Pepper & Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad. An easy copycat M&S recipe where you quickly blend a sauce. A real family favourite & great for lunchboxes. #pastasalad #pastasauce #sundriedtomatoes #M&Srecipe #copycatpasta #pasta #roastpeppers


ROAST PEPPER & SUNDRIED TOMATO PASTA SALAD WITH FETA


HOW TO MAKE IT

Fusilli or spiral pasta

STEP 1 - PASTA


Cook the pasta in a large pot of rapidly boiling water until al dente.

Rinse the cooked pasta under a cold running water until cold.



pasta sauce ingredients in mini food processor

STEP 2 - INGREDIENTS


While the pasta is cooking, add all the ingredients except for the feta to a food processor or blender and season with salt and pepper.

You may like to reserve some basil, sundried tomato and pepper to slice and mix through the pasta once it has been mixed with the sauce.



pasta sauce in mini food processor

STEP 3 - BLEND


Blend the ingredients into a sauce. 

The sauce doesn't need to be too smooth, in fact it is better if it has a bot of texture, but you don't want any big pieces of veg.



Roast Pepper & Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad

STEP 4 - ASSEMBLE


Mix the sauce the pasta, then toss through some feta, basil and the chopped pieces of tomato and pepper you have set aside. 

Enjoy!

Roast Pepper & Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad


Roast Pepper & Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad
Yield: 2-3
Author:
Prep time: 5 MCook time: 10 MTotal time: 15 M
A simple Mediterranean pasta salad with a blended sauce that's ready in minutes with no cooking. Included tips on how to make the best pasta salad every time.

Ingredients:

Pasta
  • 150-200g fusilli (spiral) pasta
Dressing
  • ½ clove garlic
  • 1 roasted pepper plus 1 tbsp oil from jar
  • 4 sundried tomatoes plus 1 tbsp oil from jar
  • 1 ½ tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
  • a few basil leaves
  • salt and pepper

Instructions:

How to cook Roast Pepper & Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad

  1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of rapidly salted water until al dente.
  2. Drain,  then cool under cold water, to stop the cooking process.
  3. Whizz up the dressing ingredients and salt and pepper until fairly smooth then set aside.
  4. Toss the cold pasta in the dressing and then fold in some chopped sundried tomatoes, fresh basil and crumble in some feta.
  5. Enjoy!
Toppings
  1. 4 sundried tomatoes, sliced
  2. a small handful of basil
  3. a few cubes of feta

Notes:

If you don't have jarred roasted pepper, you can roast fresh bell peppers. If you roast your own, just add 1 tablespoon of olive oil instead of the jar oil.
This pasta can be chilled in the fridge for 2-3 days.
You can make up this sauce and freeze in portions for 3-4 months.
To defrost frozen sauce, move a portion from the freezer to the fridge and it will defrost slowly overnight.
Calories
381.29
Fat (grams)
15.58
Sat. Fat (grams)
1.21
Carbs (grams)
50.53
Fiber (grams)
3.75
Net carbs
46.78
Sugar (grams)
2.92
Protein (grams)
9.63
Sodium (milligrams)
158.06
Cholesterol (grams)
0.00
pasta salad, M&S pasta, M&S pasta salad, M&S copycat recipe, copycat recipe, mediterranean pasta, mediterranean pasta
lunch
vegetarian, vegan
Created using The Recipes Generator




26 comments

  1. I see Sun dried tomato and I'm here promptly :D

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  2. this salad looks great - I am not keen on the packaged salads and sandwiches - hated them when I lived in the UK but I do love a hearty dressing for a pasta salad - bookmarked!

    I hope to get an entry in for NCR but it depends on how dinner turns out tonight :-)

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  3. I love this pesto! It seems to be packed with flavors!

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  4. My very favorite combo here... i find roasted peppers & sun dried tomatoes irresistible. that empty plate shows it all:-)

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  5. I can never seem to make a good pasta salad.
    It looks so yummy, i love the empty plate photo :P
    Sundried tomato is nice im most savory dishes I think.

    Rose

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  6. I feel the same way A& :)

    Hi Johanna, Hope dinner goes well :)

    It is just so delicious Karine and I wouldn't have thought of adding the red wine vinegar before.

    Hi Soma, it didn't last long :)

    Hi Rose, I always have some sundried tomatoes in my cupboard, just in case :)

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  7. Love the progression of photos! Looks really yummy!

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  8. I thought so too Beth, much better than a sandwich.

    Thanks Kirsten :)

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  9. My bowl would be empty too after getting my hands (or mouth, rather) on this!

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  10. Oh yum this looks amazing Jacqueline!! I love combining feta and sun dried tomato, and the addition of red pepper sounds yummy. I love the pasta shape too. I thought I had until the end of August to put up my pepper salad so thanks for the reminder! I'll post it tonight.

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  11. I love the look and sound of this! I've got a little of jar of some nice sun dried tomatoes lurking in the cupboard, this seems to fit the lunch bill perfectly! :)

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  12. I love pasta made from pantry items! I'll have to keep this one marked for those days!

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  13. We are on the same wavelength Jackie. Pasta salad is one of my favourites and I am always looking for new ideas....plus you had me at the mere mention of feta!!

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  14. I just have to quite visiting blogs like this because they are making me hungry. You are convincing me that I need to get a dehydrator for all the tomatoes that we have. I also have to try roasting peppers. Great blog you have here.

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  15. Delicious summer salad, Jacqueline. I'll have my NCR recipe to you late today.

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  16. Gorgeous! Some of my very favorites in here.

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  17. Oh heavens, that sauce looks excellent. I even brought my bag of dried tomatoes along in the cooler on our recent move. Now I know just what to make with them.

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  18. I sometimes buy that salad in M&S! It never occurred to me to make it. Sundried tomatoes and feta is such a gorgeous combination

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  19. can't stand sundried tomatoes, other than that is sounds delicious!

    m&s food "lunchtime haute cuisine", gosh;)

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  20. There are some of my very favorite flavors in there - it looks just incredible!

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  21. Oooh I'm going to have to make this! I'm overflowing with sundried tomatoes that I've been making from the ridiculous amount of tomatoes my CSA has been giving me. This will be perfect for work next week. Thanks!! Dana

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  22. All I can think to say when I look at this is "FEED ME!!!"

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  23. Glad to hear it Amy :)

    Thanks Snooky Doodle :)

    Got your entry Ashley and Johanna's entry was thanks to you too! They were both great :)

    Go make some Anne :)

    It is so, so good Pam, you must try it!

    I am like that too Val, if anyone mentions feta or halloumi, I am there in a flash!

    Thanks Greg and it is lovely to meet you :D

    Thanks Susan I got it. Your chilli pepper incident was amusing, although probably not so amusing at the time.

    Hi Lisa Birds of a feather, us :)

    Hi Andrea, I hope the move went well. I will have to come over and catch up. I have been very absent from blogland this week!

    It is gorgeous, isn't it CC and I will still by it as a standby on those days when I eat my lunch as breakfast at breaktime and then need something to eat later.

    It is here, really Pia, we have very little choice in walking distance of my work. I think you have a better setup where you are.

    Thanks Dana :)

    Hey other Dana, I do hope you enjoy it!

    Thank you Taste My Plate :)

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  24. That looks so simple and oh so good! I am exactly like you- I love tasting things in restaurants and recreating them at home :D

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I love reading comments, so thank you for taking the time to leave one. Unfortunately, I'm bombarded with spam, so I've turned on comment moderation. I'll publish your comments as soon as I can and respond to them. Don't panic, they will disappear when you hit publish. Jac x