Spring Green Pesto Pasta Salad (Printable)

Vibrant cold pasta with homemade basil pesto, sweet peas, peppery arugula, and toasted pine nuts.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz short pasta (fusilli, farfalle, or penne)

→ Pesto

02 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
03 - 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
04 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 garlic clove
06 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1/2 lemon, juiced
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Vegetables & Greens

09 - 1 cup frozen peas
10 - 3 cups baby arugula
11 - 1/4 cup pine nuts, extra, toasted
12 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Optional Additions

13 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
14 - Fresh herbs (mint, parsley), chopped

# Directions:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - Blanch frozen peas in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and rinse under cold water.
03 - Combine basil, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in food processor. Pulse while drizzling olive oil until smooth. Adjust seasoning.
04 - Toss cooled pasta with pesto in large bowl, adding reserved pasta water for silky consistency.
05 - Fold in blanched peas, arugula, lemon zest, and extra toasted pine nuts. Add feta and herbs if desired.
06 - Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The homemade pesto brings a bright, fresh intensity that storebought versions simply cannot match
  • Perfect for makeahead meals that actually taste better after the flavors have mingled
  • That satisfying crunch of toasted pine nuts against tender pasta creates the most wonderful texture
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta after cooking is essential here, it washes away excess starch that would otherwise make the salad gummy as it sits
  • The pesto needs to be slightly thinner than you would make for hot pasta, since it will thicken up as it coats the cooled noodles
  • Adding the arugula last keeps it from wilting and turning slimy in the residual warmth
03 -
  • Double the pesto recipe and freeze half in ice cube trays for instant flavor bombs on busy weeknights
  • Use kitchen shears to snip the basil instead of a knife for less bruising and browning
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