Mediterranean Pecan Pasta Salad
For any potluck or dinner party, enjoy a Mediterranean Pecan Pasta Salad with layers of pasta, cheese, greens, olives, and golden pecans.
What are you bringing for a potluck dish this weekend? We love a good layered salad. You may want to try my Cake Pan Layered Salad or Layered Bacon Pea Salad – both delicious for a gathering.
The pecans really give the pasta salad an awesome extra crunch and flavor – as there are so many flavors mingling around in this salad.
Mediterranean Pecan Pasta Salad
Just in time for spring and summer parties, enjoy this Mediterranean Pecan Pasta Salad, a beautiful dish that everyone will love!
Topped with beautiful pecans, that have a naturally sweet taste and satisfying crunch, that pairs well with so many other flavors! Pecans are delish mixed into breakfast dishes, topped on lunch food, baked into dinner, or as a delicious snack straight from the bag!
Ingredients for Mediterranean Pecan Pasta Salad
This salad has a layer of orecchiette pasta, radicchio, chopped pecans, spinach, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke pieces, and orange slices. Then add fresh herbs, feta cheese, and marinated olives.
Top with pecan halves and serve with a lemon vinaigrette and fresh-cracked pepper!
- Orecchiette pasta, or other small pasta
- Radicchio
- Pecans [Since pecans add plant protein, fiber, good fats and essential minerals to every dish, I love this recipe when I host a party or head to a potluck, because it’s vegetarian and nutritious.]
- Spinach
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Marinated artichokes
- Cara Cara oranges (you can use Mandarin oranges)
- Fresh herbs
- Feta cheese
- Kalamata olives
- Lemon vinaigrette
- Fresh-cracked pepper
Layered Lettuce Salad – TIPS and variations
Making a layered salad is easy! Think ahead to the type of salad, which greens, cheese, and nuts to use.
Then according to the season, what extras should be added?
Spring: add fresh English peas.
Fall: butternut squash is great.
We used a layer of chopped pecans in the salad, and then garnished on top as well. They’re also a delicious snack straight from the bag.
Mix up the pasta (use small bites).
Make your own Greek yogurt dressing, or buy store-bought.
Toss it together in a giant bowl.
So good!
How to make a Layered Pecan Pasta Salad
- PASTA: Bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt. Cook according to package directions, el dente; drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
- LAYER SALAD: In a large, clear (parfait) bowl, layer half of the radicchio on the bottom. Sprinkle half of the olives, artichoke, and tomato on top. Next, spread out half of the pasta, half of the chopped pecans, half of the parsley, crumbled feta, and the orange supremes of one orange.
- Continue to layer: Add in all of the spinach, then repeat layering steps: radicchio, olives, artichoke, tomato, pasta, pecans, parsley, feta, and orange.
- REFRIDGERATE: Crack with fresh pepper and refrigerate for about an hour before serving.
- DRESSING: Dressing is a nice touch, but it isn’t necessary, with all of the oils and vinegars from the marinated ingredients. Dressing is optional.
Pecans are super nutritious
Many think of pecans as a dessert nut, but we love them in many dishes. Pecans are among the highest in “good” monounsaturated fats, and have plant-protein, fiber, flavonoids, and essential minerals.*
As a source of plant-based protein, pecans can take your vegetarian meals to the next level. You can even use them as a substitute for ground meat in recipes. Whatever meal plans you choose to create, pecans aren’t just good for you – they are truly The Original Supernut!
It can be tough to come up with new dishes when adhering to certain dietary or lifestyle considerations, believe me, as I host all the time. But pecans are a delicious, hard-working ingredient!
Okay, Friends, so let’s think outside the box for potluck season and make some delicious, nutritious salads!
I can’t wait!
Happy hosting!
This post is sponsored by American Pecans, but as always, all opinions are my own.
*One serving of pecans (28g) contains 18g of unsaturated fat and only 2g of saturated fat.
More delicious salads with pecans to try:
Pecan-Dijon Crusted Salmon Recipe
5-minute Rainbow Carrot Pecan Salad
Mixed Green Salad with Oranges Dried Cranberries and Pecans!
Get the Recipe:
Mediterranean Pecan Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 oz orecchiette pasta, or other small pasta
- 2 heads of radicchio, about 3-4 cups thinly sliced
- 1 cup pecan pieces, or pecan halves, chopped, plus pecan halves for garnish
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- ⅓ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- ½ cup marinated artichoke, cut into bite-size pieces and drained
- 1 cara cara orange, slices
- ¾ cup chopped parsley or mint, or both
- 6 oz feta cheese
- 1 cup halved marinated olives, kalamata and green, drained
- Optional lemon vinaigrette and fresh-cracked pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with ¼ cup of salt. When water is bubbling, add in pasta, allow water to come back to a boil, then start timer for about 10 minutes. When pasta is cooked, el dente, drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
- In a large, clear bowl, layer half of the radicchio on the bottom. Sprinkle half of the olives, artichoke, and tomato on top. Next, spread out half of the pasta, ½ cup of chopped pecans, half of the parsley, 3 oz of crumbled feta, and the orange supremes of one orange.
- Add in all of the spinach, then repeat layering steps: radicchio, olives, artichoke, tomato, pasta, pecans, parsley, feta, and orange.
- Crack with fresh pepper and refrigerate for about an hour before serving.
- Dressing is a nice touch, but it isn’t necessary, with all of the oils and vinegars from the marinated ingredients.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
