Pesto pasta salad is a delicious and refreshing dish that is perfect for summer gatherings or as a light meal. With its vibrant green color and flavorful combination of pesto, pasta, vegetables, and cheese, this salad is sure to impress your taste buds. Whether you're looking for a simple recipe or one with more complex flavors, there's a pesto pasta salad recipe out there that will suit your preferences. In this article, we'll guide you through some of the best pesto pasta salad recipes, so you can find the perfect one to enjoy.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
FABULOUS PESTO PASTA SALAD
This chilled pasta salad is perfect as a side dish or a main course. Serve with warm garlic bread and the perfect wine!
Provided by ERILEY
Categories Salad 100+ Pasta Salad Recipes Farfalle Pasta Salad Recipes
Time 1h30m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, pepper, onion powder, mustard, garlic, basil, oregano, cilantro, hot pepper sauce, red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Add the tomatoes, green onions and olives to the bowl, and stir to coat. Refrigerate.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and rinse with cold water to cool. Add pasta to the bowl of dressing, and mix well. Top with mozzarella cheese and pine nuts. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 505.5 calories, Carbohydrate 50.7 g, Cholesterol 20 mg, Fat 26.7 g, Fiber 3.7 g, Protein 18.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.6 g, Sodium 730.6 mg, Sugar 6 g
GARDEN PESTO PASTA SALAD
My family and I live on a homestead in the Missouri Ozarks and produce much of our own food. In the summer, when the garden is bursting with fresh vegetables and it's too hot to cook, I like to use the season's veggies for pasta salads and other cool meals. -Sarah Mathews, Ava, Missouri
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Lunch
Time 15m
Yield 10 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well., Meanwhile, whisk together pesto, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in oil until blended., Combine vegetables and pasta. Drizzle with pesto dressing; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, about 1 hour. Serve with Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 217 calories, Fat 11g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 3mg cholesterol, Sodium 339mg sodium, Carbohydrate 23g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 6g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
PESTO PASTA SALAD
We grow a large crop of basil each summer and make dozens of jars of pesto sauce to use in dishes such as this salad. You'll love the combination of garlic and herbs.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Lunch
Time 30m
Yield 18-20 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 25
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine the first 13 ingredients; set aside. For dressing, process garlic in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Add basil, cheese, slivered almonds, salt, tarragon, pepper and sugar. Process 15-30 seconds or until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, gradually add oil until mixture is smooth. Add vinegar and process until blended. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Just before serving, add whole almonds.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 315 calories, Fat 21g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 14mg cholesterol, Sodium 402mg sodium, Carbohydrate 23g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 11g protein.
PESTO PASTA SALAD
Pasta Salad is classic summer dish that is perfect for all kinds of parties, BBQ's and picnics. This Pesto Salad is filled with fresh ingredients that are an amazing flavor combination.
Provided by Katie Clark
Categories Salad
Time 20m
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil
- Cook pasta until ad dente
- Drain pasta
- While still hot, mix with pesto sauce
- Let cook about 15 minutes
- Add cherry tomatoes that have been diced and Parmesan cheese
- Toss and chill until ready to serve
Nutrition Facts : Calories 292 calories, Carbohydrate 18 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 35 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 18 grams fat, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 15 grams protein, SaturatedFat 4 grams saturated fat, ServingSize 1, Sodium 329 grams sodium, Sugar 1 grams sugar, TransFat 0 grams trans fat, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams unsaturated fat
PESTO PASTA SALAD
Enjoy this veggie pesto pasta salad with cucumber, peas, cherry tomatoes and basil for an easy family meal. It's great for a packed lunch or summery picnic
Provided by Lulu Grimes
Categories Dinner, Lunch
Time 22m
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Cook the pasta for 10 mins in salted boiling water until al dente, drain, then tip into a bowl. Stir in the crème fraîche followed by the pesto, then leave to cool.
- When the pasta is cool, stir in the cucumber, tomatoes and peas followed by the basil leaves. Season if it needs it, and tip into a container to transport it.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 420 calories, Fat 19 grams fat, SaturatedFat 10 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 49 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 5 grams sugar, Fiber 6 grams fiber, Protein 11 grams protein, Sodium 0.3 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Use fresh basil for the best flavor. If you don't have fresh basil, you can use dried basil, but the flavor will be less intense.
- Use a good quality olive oil. The olive oil is one of the main ingredients in pesto, so it's important to use a good quality oil that has a nice flavor.
- Toast the pine nuts before adding them to the pesto. Toasting the pine nuts will bring out their flavor and make them more fragrant.
- Don't overcook the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente, so that it still has a little bit of a bite to it.
- Add the pesto to the pasta while it's still hot. This will help the pesto to coat the pasta evenly.
Conclusion:
Pesto pasta salad is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a summer picnic or potluck. It's also a great way to use up leftover pasta and vegetables. With a few simple ingredients, you can make a pesto pasta salad that is sure to please everyone at your table.
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