Apr 27, 2023 3 min read Pasta

Pesto Pasta Salad

If you're looking for a delicious and easy dish to make for your next picnic, potluck, or family dinner, look no further than pesto pasta salad!

This refreshing and flavorful salad combines pasta, creamy pesto sauce, and fresh veggies for a satisfying and healthy meal. Pesto pasta salad is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it!

Time: 25 mins | Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 pound (450 grams) pasta any
7 ounces (200 grams) green beans, fresh or frozen
1.5 cups (250 grams) cherry tomatoes halved
½ cup (60 grams) olives halved
2 handfuls (50 grams) of arugula

FOR BASIL PESTO

2 packed cups (50 grams) basil leaves
¼ cup (60 grams) extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup (60 grams) water
1 clove garlic
½ cup (50 grams) parmesan cheese grated
2 tablespoons (20 grams) pine nuts
¼ teaspoon salt or more to taste

FOR NON-DAIRY PESTO

2 tablespoons (20 grams) pine nuts
⅓ cup (50 grams) walnuts
4 tablespoons (15 grams) nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon salt
2 packed cups (50 grams) of basil leaves
¼ cup (60 grams) extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup (60 grams) water

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water as per package instructions. Halfway through cooking, add the green beans. When cooked, reserve one cup of pasta water, drain pasta and green beans, and rinse them under cool water so they won't overcook.

2. Basil pesto: to a small blender or food processor, add basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, water, garlic (chopped), parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and salt. Pulse a few times until you get a creamy pesto.

Non-dairy pesto: to a small blender or food processor, add pine nuts, walnuts, nutritional yeast, garlic, and salt.

Blend for 1 minute until reduced into coarse flour, then add basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, and water, and pulse a few more times till you get a creamy pesto.

3. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl and stir in ¼ cup of reserved pasta water to make a pesto sauce.

4. Add pasta, green beans, halved cherry tomatoes, halved olives, and arugula. Toss until well combined.

Optionally you can top it with toasted pine nuts right before serving.

Substitutions

Basil pesto: arugula pesto, parsley pesto, artichoke pesto, red pepper pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto, zucchini pesto, or kale pesto.
Green beans: cannellini beans, lightly boiled asparagus, cucumber, carrot sticks, green pepper sticks, or chickpeas.
Tomatoes: red bell pepper.
Arugula: baby spinach.
Olives: marinated artichoke hearts, capers, chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil.
Optional add-ins: pine nuts, lemon juice, shaved parmesan, fresh diced mozzarella, crumbled or diced feta cheese, or non-dairy cheese.

Storage

Make ahead: we recommend tossing the pesto with the other ingredients shortly before eating because the pesto turns brown quickly once in contact with air. If you make it for a potluck, bring the pesto in a separate jar and add it before serving.
Refrigerator: transfer the pesto into a jar, cover it with olive oil, close it, and keep it in the fridge for four days. Keep leftover pesto pasta salad in a bowl covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The pesto will go brown the day after, but it'll still be good to eat.
Freezer: transfer the pesto to a jar, cover it with a thin layer of olive oil, close the jar, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator. Don't microwave.