Description
Enjoy a vibrant Pesto Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, perfect for warm days and quick meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz Whole grain pasta
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 2 cups Baby arugula (or spinach)
- 1/2 cup Feta cheese (optional)
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella balls (optional)
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan (optional)
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives (optional)
- 1 cup Chickpeas (optional)
- 1/4 cup Pepitas
- 1 cup Fresh basil
- 1/4 cup Fresh flat-leaf parsley (or additional basil)
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Fine salt
- 1/2 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil. Add your whole grain pasta and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining, then rinse the pasta under cool water.
- Toast the Pepitas: In a small skillet, heat over medium. Add the pepitas and toast until fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside half the pepitas for garnish later.
- Make the Pesto: In a food processor, combine the toasted pepitas with basil, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Blend while drizzling in the olive oil until smooth.
- Combine Pasta and Pesto: Pour the pesto over the drained pasta in a large serving bowl. Toss until evenly coated, adding reserved pasta water if needed.
- Add the Veggies: Mix in the halved cherry tomatoes, arugula, remaining pepitas, and optional ingredients. Toss everything together until well-mixed.
- Season and Serve: Taste the salad and season with pepper, additional salt, or lemon juice as desired. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing and Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg