Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe (Sam’s Club Copycat)
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Jump to RecipeThis delicious Mediterranean pasta salad recipe is a copycat of one of our favorites from Sam’s Club! It’s loaded with spiral pasta, tender kale, sun-dried tomatoes, cheeses, and a basil garlic dressing.
Ready in 30 minutes, this tasty pasta salad is great to enjoy warm or cold! It’s perfect to prep ahead (the kale won’t wilt in the salad) and makes a fantastic lunch anytime. Delicious, flavorful, and great to enjoy all year long.
Want more great copycat pasta recipes? Try our Bahama Breeze jerk chicken pasta copycat, Trader Joe’s Cacio e Pepe copycat, and our favorite baked ricotta mac and cheese.
I love a good grab-and-go prepped salad, and this Sam’s Club copycat Mediterranean pasta salad is a fantastic homemade version you can make yourself! Ready in less than 30 minutes, this easy pasta salad is made with simple ingredients but has fantastic flavor.
Start by cooking your favorite pasta (you can use rotini or fusilli pasta), chopping the kale and sun-dried tomatoes, and tossing everything together in a quick 5-minute basil vinaigrette. This is one pasta salad that is great to entertain with – guests will love this recipe, it’ll go fast!
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s bright, herby, cheesy, and savory.
- Inexpensive to make at home, you can enjoy this easy pasta salad anytime!
- Made with simple ingredients and a quick 5-minute garlic basil dressing.
- It’s versatile – you can add in your favorite protein to make it a full meal. Or serve it as a side dish the whole family will love.
- Follow our step-by-step directions with pictures below, cooks of any skill level can successfully make this dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pasta – You can use fusilli or rotini pasta, which is similar to the pasta Sam’s Club uses. I used a loose rotini, which tasted fantastic.
- Kale – while you typically wouldn’t find kale in pasta salad, the kale absolutely makes this dish! Massage it for a few minutes with your hands to make it tender and easy-to-eat.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
- Sun-dried tomatoes – you can buy sliced or whole sun-dried tomatoes packed in water or oil. If using whole tomatoes, make sure to slice them into bite-sized pieces before adding them to the salad.
- Feta Cheese – for a wonderfully sharp and tangy flavor in each bite.
- Parmesan cheese – it adds a delicious bite to the pasta salad, and makes a beautiful garnish.
- Basil Garlic Dressing – made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh garlic cloves, lemon juice, and basil leaves.
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
Additions and Substitutions
- Add grilled chicken, shrimp, canned chickpeas, white beans, or sliced seared steak to this Mediterranean kale pasta salad for extra protein.
- For a spicier salad add thinly sliced red onions, or 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the dressing.
- Add fresh ingredients like cherry tomatoes, olives, or chopped cucumber.
- The homemade dressing (with delicious herbs and fresh ingredients) makes this dish – but if you had to use a bottled dressing, try a red wine vinaigrette.
- Try a different pasta shape – any medium noodle would be great: penne, medium shells, or even macaroni would be great substitutions.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse until cold water until cool. Set the pasta aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add the shredded kale, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and the salt. With your hands massage the kale for 2-3 minutes, until the kale starts to break down and become tender.
Step 3: To the massaged kale, add the cooked and cooled pasta, and the chopped sundried tomatoes.
Step 4: To a blender, add the vinaigrette dressing ingredients: fresh basil, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic cloves, lemon juice, and Italian seasonings.
Step 5: Start by blending the dressing on low speed, then work your way up to medium speed until the basil and garlic are blended into a sauce. If your dressing is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency you prefer.
Step 6: Add the feta cheese to the salad, and pour the basil vinaigrette over the top.
Step 7: Mix the pasta salad well, until all the ingredients are well-combined and the dressing covered all the pasta and kale.
Step 8: Add freshly grated parmesan cheese on top, and serve at room temperature.
Recipe FAQs
I used kale and sun-dried tomatoes in this delicious salad, with a dressing with olive oil and red wine vinegar, fresh and dried herbs, and lemon juice. It’s loaded with fresh ingredients and has a wonderful flavor.
Store leftovers in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Absolutely, you can add any cooked protein you prefer! I like adding canned chickpeas to this salad, but any beans would work – as would rotisserie chicken, tofu, or hard-boiled eggs for added protein.
Expert Tips
- While this is a fantastic Sam’s Club copycat recipe, it is not the authentic or official recipe from the store. It’s my own adaptation of the flavor and ingredients.
- Serve hot or cold! I enjoyed this as a cold salad, but it’s also delicious warmed up for a great entree anytime.
- If you use sub-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, use the extra olive oil from the jar in the salad dressing for extra flavor.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
- Goat Cheese Pesto Pasta
- Cottage Cheese Alfredo Pasta Sauce
- Elk Bolognese Pasta
- Chicken Pasta with Vodka Sauce
- Pasta Alla Siciliana with Burrata
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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Mediterranean Pasta Salad (Sam’s Club Copycat)
Equipment
- Pot
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 4 cups kale shredded
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup feta cheese
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
For the Garlic Basil Vinaigrette
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 lemon juiced
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse until cold water until cool. Set the pasta aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the shredded kale, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and the salt. With your hands massage the kale for 2-3 minutes, until the kale starts to break down and become tender.
- To the massaged kale, add the cooked and cooled pasta, and the chopped sundried tomatoes.
- To a blender, add the vinaigrette dressing ingredients: fresh basil, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic cloves, lemon juice, and Italian seasonings.
- Start by blending the dressing on low speed, then work your way up to medium speed until the basil and garlic are blended into a sauce. If your dressing is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency you prefer.
- Add the feta cheese to the salad, and pour the basil vinaigrette over the top.
- Mix the pasta salad well, until all the ingredients are well-combined and the dressing covered all the pasta and kale. Add freshly grated parmesan cheese on top, and serve at room temperature.
Notes
-
- Add grilled chicken, shrimp, canned chickpeas, white beans, or sliced seared steak to this Mediterranean kale pasta salad for extra protein.
-
- For a spicier salad add thinly sliced red onions, or 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the dressing.
-
- Add fresh ingredients like cherry tomatoes, olives, or chopped cucumber.
-
- The homemade dressing (with delicious herbs and fresh ingredients) makes this dish – but if you had to use a bottled dressing, try a red wine vinaigrette.
-
- Try a different pasta shape – any medium noodle would be great: penne, medium shells, or even macaroni would be great substitutions.
- While this is a fantastic Sam’s Club copycat recipe, it is not the authentic or official recipe from the store. It’s my own adaptation of the flavor and ingredients.
- Serve hot or cold! I enjoyed this as a cold salad, but it’s also delicious warmed up for a great entree anytime.
- If you use sub-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, use the extra olive oil from the jar in the salad dressing for extra flavor.
Nutrition
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I really enjoy developing this copycat recipe for you. If you make this pasta salad, please leave a rating and review below. Thank you!