Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (2024)

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Regardless of the season, you can make this lovely salad. However, summer is the best time for that. It will be a perfect addition to any meal, and absolutely wonderful for family gatherings or a nice, quiet dinner.

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Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (1)

This is a wonderful recipe, taking advantage of nice, fresh tomatoes. Every woman has some secrets regarding how to make her own home feel welcoming.

The following basil pesto pasta salad recipe is one that will come in handy for any household. When it comes to entertaining, having the best recipes is important, and a good place to start is with an easy basil pesto pasta salad that can serve everyone.

Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (2)

You can combine the basil pesto pasta salad with many other ingredients, such as cherry tomatoes, peas, nuts, and more if you feel like it. This recipe makes about six servings – you can adjust the ingredients if you need to make more.

The important thing is that you will have one of the best recipes for parties ready to go. Not only will this recipe be able to serve everyone, but they will also all be impressed with your cooking skills when you come out with a dish like this one.

Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (3)

The basil is the star of this recipe. Basil is a refreshing, easily recognizable ingredient that is often used in sauces like this. Every good pesto sauce comes with pine nuts or walnuts as well.

The parmesan cheese will take things to the next level, and the garlic cloves will add even more flavor.

Basil Pesto Pasta | Pesto Sauce Directions

Combine the pine nuts and basil, and using a food processor, you should give them a few pulses.

Add the garlic and give them a few more pulses.

Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (5)

Slowly add the olive oil in a constant, slow stream while the processor is on. Stop it from time to time to scrape the walls so you can achieve a uniform mix.

Add the cheese and pulse until nicely blended, then add a bit of salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (6)

Basil Pesto Pasta Salad | Pasta Salad Ingredients

It is time to move on to the salad part of this recipe now that we have the pesto sauce done. Rotini pasta will be the main ingredient of the salad. But we don’t want to just make pesto pasta.

Peas, chopped green olives, and cherry tomatoes will make great additions to your salad. You will want to buy as many of these ingredients in their fresh, raw form. This will enhance the end result immensely.

Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (7)

Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Directions

The first thing you have to do is cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Make sure it’s not too soft, as you want it to be nice and firm enough to look good. Put some salt in the water to help that process.

Strain it and then run some cold water through it for a bit until it is cooled down.

Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (8)

Next, you need to put the pasta in a big bowl, mixing in the green olives, fresh basil pesto, and pine nuts.

Once that is achieved, you can add the cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh basil leaves, and olive oil. Use salt and pepper to your taste and place it in the fridge to chill.

Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (9)

The salad should be served responsibly as it contains a lot of calories and sodium, thus, it is not recommended for regular consumption. 🙂 You will most likely feel the urge to eat more, though!

With all of this, you should be ready to take on any social event that requires a quick and tasty meal. What would you pair this recipe with?

Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (10)

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Basil Pesto Pasta Salad

When it comes to entertaining, having the best recipes is important and a good place to start is with an easy basil pesto pasta that can serve everyone.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Main Dish, Salad

Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

Basil Pesto Ingredients

  • 2 cups basil leaves fresh
  • 1/2 cup parmesan-reggiano grated
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • salt and pepper to taste

Basil Pesto Pasta Salad

  • 1 cup peas frozen or fresh
  • 4 cups uncooked rotini
  • 1 cup fresh basil pesto
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2 tbsp green olives finely chopped
  • 12 oz cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • basil leaves fresh

Instructions

Pesto Directions

  • Combine the pine nuts and basil and using a food processor you should give them a few pulses.

  • Add the garlic and give them a few more pulses.

  • Slowly add the olive oil in a constant, slow stream while the processor is on. Stop it from time to time to scrape the walls so you can achieve a uniform mix.

  • Add the cheese and pulse until nicely blended, then add a bit of salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Basil Pesto Salad Directions

  • The first thing you have to do is cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.Make sure it’s not too soft as you want them to be nice and firm enough to look good. Put some salt in the water to help that process.

  • Strain it and then run some cold water through it for a bit until it is cooled down.

  • Next, you need to put the pasta in a big bowl mixing in the green olives, fresh basil pesto, and pine nuts.

  • Once that is achieved you can add the cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh basil leaves, and olive oil. Use salt and pepper to your taste and place it in the fridge to chill.

  • The salad should be served responsibly as it contains a lot of calories and sodium, thus it is not recommended for regular consumption. 🙂 You will most likely feel the urge to eat more though!

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Basil Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What goes well with basil pesto pasta? ›

A slice of bread goes with pesto pasta. Pair this pasta with Rosemary Olive Oil Bread or No Knead Focaccia. Veggies. Sauteed Zucchini Recipe, Roasted Mushrooms, or Roasted Broccoli and Carrots would be scrumptious paired with this pasta.

Should pasta cool before adding pesto? ›

Once the pasta has cooked, drain it and run it under cold water to quickly cool it off. Then, place all of the ingredients along with the drained pasta in a large bowl. Toss with the pesto until all ingredients are well coated. Taste and add salt, if needed.

Which pasta is better with pesto? ›

Pesto Sauce

This fresh and fragrant pasta sauce is served uncooked, so choose a pasta shape that won't overwhelm it. Similar to oil-based sauces, pesto is served best with longer cuts of pasta, like the corkscrew shape of Fusilli. Pesto works best with Bucatini, Capellini, thinner Spaghettini, and Fettuccine.

What is pesto salad made of? ›

Ingredients needed:

Tomatoes: any chopped fresh tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes. Cucumber: I prefer English cucumbers or mini cucumbers. Fresh Mozzarella, cut into chunks. Pesto: Homemade or store-bought.

How to use pesto from a jar? ›

Other than pairing it with pasta, pesto sauce is a great way to add flavoring to soups, dips, or vegetables. Add pesto sauce as a condiment on sandwiches or use it to make compound butter. Finally, adding pesto to scrambled eggs introduces bold flavoring to this simple dish.

What do Italians eat with pesto? ›

Italian Tradition

Pesto is the perfect sauce to enjoy with a dish of trofie (the traditional Ligurian short pasta), lasagna, potato gnocchi or as a topping for a bowl of minestrone.

How much pesto should I add to pasta? ›

So, for a standard, single serving of 75g of dried pasta, we think that 50g of pesto is about right. Naturally, everyone's tastes are different, so you'll have to adjust the quantities up or down depending on who you are cooking for. It also greatly depends on what other ingredients you are serving your pasta with.

Why can't you heat up pesto? ›

PESTO SHOULD NEVER BE “COOKED”. If you cook Pesto Sauce, you change the make up of the fresh basil and cause it to turn darker in color. It is best to warm it up and use it at room temperature. If it needs to be thinned out, you can do so by adding a little water, chicken stock, cream or white wine.

How do you get pesto to stick to pasta? ›

As for the sauce itself, well, pesto is naturally pretty good at clinging to pasta. The secret to making it even stickier is to mix it with a little bit of the water you cooked your pasta in.

What is traditionally served with pesto pasta? ›

I assume you mean 'green' pesto, or pesto alla Genovese, since that's what English speakers usually mean by 'pesto'. And that being the case, in Liguria, which is the region of Italy it's from, they traditionally serve it with potatoes and green beans and a short spiral pasta called trofie.

Which cheese is best for pesto? ›

Most pesto recipes call for Parmesan cheese; we often use Romano which has a stronger flavor. Basil pesto recipes often call for pine nuts, but you can easily substitute walnuts.

Is pesto pasta healthier than tomato sauce? ›

As you would expect, pesto's wider variety of ingredients means it does slightly better in the vitamin and mineral stakes. Pesto outsmarts tomato sauce in many of these, but the pasta sauce still provides a sizeable chunk of your recommended daily targets.

What pairs well with pesto pasta? ›

Serve the pasta with some crusty bread or freshly baked Rosemary Focaccia with Roasted Garlic to capture any creamy pesto left on your plate. For a side, I suggest staying light and fresh to balance the rich pasta sauce. A bright and crunchy Lemon Parmesan Lettuce Salad is this pasta recipe's perfect match.

How long does pesto last in the fridge? ›

Pesto will last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you've stored it in the freezer, it will last for 6 months. When you're ready to use frozen pesto, thaw it overnight in the fridge or place the container of pesto in a bowl of warm water for a quicker thawing time.

Do you put pesto on hot or cold pasta? ›

  1. It is better to mix your pesto to fresh boiled pasta, not for taste-reasons but for a rather practical issue: unseasoned pasta gets sticky when it cools down and you won't be able to mix it properly.
  2. If you please to have your pasta with pesto cold, season it warm and let it then cool down.
Aug 3, 2023

What is the best protein to serve with pesto pasta? ›

Chicken, sausage, and chickpeas are all delicious mix-ins. If you're in need of side dish inspiration, meanwhile, we've got you covered. Here are a few delicious recipes that pair well with pesto pasta: French Baguettes.

What kind of meat goes well with pesto pasta? ›

You are unlimited in choices for pairing proteins with pesto pasta. Some great options are chicken, shrimp, pork and beef. What is the secret to perfect pasta? Adding salt to the pasta cooking water and allowing the saucepan to come to the boil will help to ensure perfectly cooked pasta.

What cheese goes with basil pesto? ›

What Kind of Cheese Should I Use? I used fresh mozzarella because I love the way it melts, but you can use block or grated mozzarella in its place (that's usually more affordable as well). Other types of cheese that would work great with pesto are: smoked mozzarella, gruyere, swiss, brie, or white cheddar.

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