Name: Pesto Pasta Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 4 cups uncooked fusilli pasta (use rice pasta for wheat-free version) -; 1 cup fresh basil pesto, store bought or homemade -; 2 tablespoons chopped green olives, or olive tapenade -; 1/3 cup pine nuts -; 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted (or fresh if you can get them) -; 12 ounces assorted cherry tomatoes, halved -; Several fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped -; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil -; Salt to taste -; Freshly ground black pepper to taste -

Recipe information

Cooking:

10 min.

Servings per container:

Source:

More details

Ingredients for - Pesto Pasta Salad

1. 4 cups uncooked fusilli pasta (use rice pasta for wheat-free version) -

2. 1 cup fresh basil pesto, store bought or homemade -

3. 2 tablespoons chopped green olives, or olive tapenade -

4. 1/3 cup pine nuts -

5. 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted (or fresh if you can get them) -

6. 12 ounces assorted cherry tomatoes, halved -

7. Several fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped -

8. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil -

9. Salt to taste -

10. Freshly ground black pepper to taste -

How to cook deliciously - Pesto Pasta Salad

1. Stage

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).

2. Stage

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.

3. Stage

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.