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Pesto Pasta Salad

Prep Time

10m

Cook Time

15m

Total Time

25m

This flavorful and easy Pesto Pasta Salad features fusilli pasta, fresh basil pesto, chopped green olives, pine nuts, peas, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil. Tossed in extra virgin olive oil, and seasoned with salt and pepper, it's a delicious and vibrant dish perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a light lunch.

Recipe Options

Ingredients

Servings: 8

Scale:

Scale

0.25

0.5

4 cups uncooked fusillipasta (use rice pasta for wheat-free version)

1 cup fresh basil pesto, store bought orhomemade

2 tablespoons chopped green olives or olive tapenade

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted (or fresh if you can get them)

12 ounces assortedcherry tomatoes, halved

Several fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the pasta: Cook pasta according to instructions on the package. Make sure the water is salted (one and a half teaspoons per quart). Remove pasta from heat and strain when pasta is cooked, but still firm (al dente).

Toast the pine nuts: While the pasta is cooking, toast the pine nuts in a small pan over medium-high heat. Keep an eye on them because pine nuts can go from lovely and toasty to acrid and burnt in seconds. When most of the nuts have a blush of golden brown on them, move them to a cool bowl or plate to rest. They will burn if you leave them in the pan.

Mix the salad pasta: Put pasta in a big bowl. Mix in fresh basil pesto, green olives, and pine nuts. Gently toss in cherry tomatoes, peas, fresh basil leaves, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Ingredients

Steps

Nutrition Facts

Pesto Pasta Salad

Ingredients

Steps

Nutrition Facts Nutrition facts are based on 1 serving. If servings is not specified, 6 is assumed for the total recipe.

Nutrition Facts