Pesto Pasta Salad
This easy pesto pasta salad recipe comes together in minutes and is loaded with flavor.
I found this tasty pesto pasta salad recipe on Gimme Some Oven and thought it would be perfect to have in the fridge for quick healthy lunches during the week. I used homemade basil pesto but you can use store-bought if you’d prefer. We all love the combination of flavors and textures and think it’s such a tasty pasta salad.
Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb cavatappi pasta
- 1/3 cup basil pesto
- 1 (6 oz) jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained
- 1/2 cup mozzarella pearls
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced
- 1/3 cup pepperoncini, sliced
- 1/3 cup small cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1 large handful of baby spinach or arugula
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- Parmesan, freshly grated (for serving), if desired
How to Make a Pesto Pasta Salad
Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water until al dente, per package instructions. Drain and rinse immediately in very cold water until the pasta is very chilled.
Add the basil pesto to the chilled pasta and toss well until evenly coated.
Add the artichoke hearts, mozzarella pearls, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and baby spinach (or arugula). Gently toss to combine. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Serve cold with freshly grated parmesan, if desired. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ lb cavatappi pasta
- ⅓ cup basil pesto
- 1 (6 oz) jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained
- ½ cup mozzarella pearls
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives sliced
- ⅓ cup pepperoncini sliced
- ⅓ cup small cherry tomatoes halved
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted
- 1 large handful of baby spinach or arugula
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- Parmesan freshly grated (for serving)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water until al dente, per package instructions. Drain and rinse immediately in very cold water until the pasta is very chilled.
- Add the basil pesto to the chilled pasta and toss well until evenly coated.
- Add the artichoke hearts, mozzarella pearls, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and baby spinach (or arugula). Gently toss to combine. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
- Serve cold with freshly grated parmesan, if desired. Enjoy.
Easy, delicious and very satisfying! my comment is missing…sorry, if this is a duplicate, Pam.
Yummy, this sounds so delicious. Perfect for the temperatures we are having here in Namibia at present. Thanks, cheers Diane