Description
Pesto Pasta Salad is a cold pasta dish that combines cooked fusilli pasta with a variety of fresh vegetables, tangy feta cheese, and black olives. The star of this dish is the pesto dressing, which is made from fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese. This bold dressing adds an irresistible flavor to the pasta and complements the other ingredients perfectly.
Ingredients
Scale
For the salad:
- 8 ounces fusilli pasta
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup black olives, sliced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
For the pesto dressing:
- ½ cup homemade pesto sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil fusilli pasta according to package instructions. Drain and let cool.
- Prepare the ingredients: Halve cherry tomatoes, slice olives, and finely chop red onion.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together pesto sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, toss the cooled pasta with half the dressing. Add cherry tomatoes, olives, red onion, and feta cheese.
- Finish & serve: Drizzle with the remaining dressing, mix well, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Feel free to get creative with this recipe! You can add grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, olives, or even a handful of arugula for extra flavor and texture. This salad tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or picnics. Don’t forget to store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe