Pesto Pasta Salad

A customizable and filling meal.

4 servings
30 minutes
Ethan Chlebowski

Ingredients

Pesto

  • Fresh basil
    50 g1 bunch
  • Olive Oil
    100 g
  • Parmigiano Reggiano
    50 g
  • Pine nuts
    25 g
  • Garlic
    2 cloves
  • Salt
    to taste
  • Black Pepper
    to taste

Pasta & optional toppings

  • Short pasta of choice
    225 g1/2 lb
  • Cooked chicken
  • Tomatoes
  • Corn
  • Roasted vegetables

Method

Step 1: Start the pasta

Bring a pot of water to a and add a handful of salt. Add the dried pasta and boil until cooked through, stirring occasionally.

  • Meanwhile, get started on the pesto.

Step 2: Make the pesto

Using a mortar & pestle, food processor, or blender, puree together all of the pesto ingredients. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. If you need it thinner, you can add extra olive oil. To thicken it slightly, blend in more pine nuts or parmigiano.

Step 3: Drain the pasta & toss with the sauce

Once the pasta is cooked, drain & then add to a large mixing bowl. Starting with about half the pesto, toss it with the pasta until the sauce has with any extra water and is clinging to the noodles.

  • For a really saucy texture, use all of the pesto. For lighter coverage, save the other half of the sauce for another portion of pasta.

  • At this point, you could save the pesto pasta in the fridge for meal prep, and add toppings for when you are ready to eat.

Step 4: Add toppings & serve

Dice up any meat or vegetables you want to add in as toppings into bite sized pieces. Warm up a portion or pesto pasta. Toss together with the toppings. Taste and adjust with extra parmigiano, salt, or pepper.

“I get obsessed with pesto every summer. I prep it ahead of time and keep it in my fridge. I can then add fresh tomatoes, corn, or grilled chicken to quickly whip up lunches or dinners.”

Ethan Chlebowski
Creator

Watch & Cook

Nutritional Information

Pasta & 2/3 of the pesto. No toppings.
Calories1767
189g
93g
30g

Show macros split into…

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Recommended: 4 servings

FAQ

Why are pine nuts so expensive? Can I substitute them for other nuts?

Pine nuts are expensive because they are typically harvested by hand, have high demand, and need to be used up more quickly than most other nuts. You could make pesto with other unsalted nuts like walnuts, almonds, or macadamia nuts.

What kind of pasta shapes work best for this recipe?

You’ll want a short pasta shape instead of longer noodles. Ideally, pick a pasta shape with lots of ridges that will help catch the sauce.