This Mediterranean style Pesto Pasta Salad with sundried tomatoes, olives and a light sundried tomato salad dressing makes the perfect meal or a side dish to any mains. Packed with flavor and easy to make, perfect for salad packed lunches, picnics and the weekend braai (barbecue).
Pesto Pasta Salad one of the easiest Italian summer salads that you can make but if not made properly, it can be just another boring bland salad. To prevent that from happening, I am sharing tips and tweaks and the versatility of this pasta salad so stay tuned throughout the post.
How To Add Flavor To Pasta Salad
- Use a homemade pesto and if you decide to use a store bought pesto, good quality.
- Add this green sauce that takes 5 minutes in a food processor or blende.
- Add your dressing while the pasta is warm so it absorbs the flavors.
- Add salt to the pasta water because salted pasta water equals flavored pasta!
I love adding a quick green sauce (recently updated with my coriander sauce recipe) to pasta. It's convenient especially when you find that you are down or out of basil pesto. You can combine the two if there's a little pesto left in the jar.
A quick green sauce can come in very handy! PLUS, you can use it on vegetables, sandwhiches, meat and add it into sauces and soups.
Pasta absorbs flavors really well but it also absorbs liquid like a sponge so making sure you have enough liquid or dressing is important.
You don't need lots of oil to make your pasta delicious, you can add a number of sauces, pasta water, parmesan cheese, herbs, salt and pepper for flavor.
Here are some sauce ideas that you can add to pasta - Romesca Sauce, Fusilli Alfredo (sauce), Creamy Mushroom Sauce. For even more choices, take a look at my Sauces Dressings and Dips recipe options.
What kind of pasta can I use for pasta salad?
Although fusilli and spaghetti are more popular there are many more pasta types to use. For example; fusillotti, rotella, penne, farfalle, orecchiette are to name but a few. A short pasta and a pasta shape with curves works really well for scooping up the sauce.
Ingredients
Basil pesto: We are using a homemade Basil Pesto Recipe.
Pasta: Any shape pasta works for this recipe especially one with curves or hollow shapes.
Olives: Kalamata are the olives of choice for this recipe.
Sundried Tomatoes: A good quality store-bought if not using homemade.
Garlic cloves: Roughly chopped and into the food processor.
Fresh herbs: A combination of fresh parsley and fresh basil is used in this recipe. Feel free to use just basil but we are using basil pesto so the parsley adds a little balance to the taste.
Fresh Mozzarella balls: Bocconcini (smaller than the marble size mozzarella balls) although any fresh mozzarella will work here.
Feta cheese: I also add another salty element.
Parmesan cheese: My suggestion is to use parmesan cheese in the dressing with the sundried tomatoes rather than Pecorino Romano. Pecornio cheese is much saltier but shavings of this cheese to serve is great!
Hot sauce: This is completely optional and 100% flavor based.
Sundried tomato dressing: Full recipe in the recipe card below.
How To Make This Side Dish
This pesto pasta salad is a fabulous way of anticipating warm weather, picnics and poolside brunches. It's big on flavor and easy to pack.
Cook the pasta: Cook in salted water, drain and reserve a cup of pasta water. Remember that the pasta will absorb the pesto especially if you are not using the herb sauce!
Herb sauce: Get the herb sauce ingredients into a food processor and mix everything together while pouring the olive oil in.
Combine: Pour the herb sauce into the bottom of a large bowl followed by the pasta.
Topping: It's not really a topping but the rest of the ingredients like the chili sauce, olives, sun-dried, tomatoes and cheese. Fold rather than mix.
Pesto: Add the pesto and regulate adding the pasta water gradually while folding the ingredients in.
Recipe Notes
Pesto - Use any pesto that you like but there's nothing to beat the fresh flavors of homemade basil pesto.
Bocconcini - Are the small (baby) mozzarella balls which are the best option for a pesto salad and most salads.
Olive oil - The minute the pasta is cooked and drained, while still hot, add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olilve oil to keep it from drying out.
Storage - Refrigerate in an airtight container for 2-3 days (2 days for optimal freshness) and always bring it to room temperature before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken, small bites of beef and cured meats are all suitable, let's take a look at a few more options;
You can also try seafood with this pesto pasta salad like this Pan Seared Salmon or this Pan-Fried Yellowtail Recipe.
Rotisserie (never to be underestimated) or you can try this Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks or Grilled Chicken Breast
Steak Nibbles or perfect steak like this Pan Seared Steak
For a brunch or picnic then packing it along other salads for variety;
More Salad Ideas
Serve it next to this Italian Antipasti for the colorful selection of meat, roasted peppers and tomatoes etc.
More Pasta Recipes
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Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 200 grams dry pasta fusilli, fusillotti, penne, ziti or any type
- salt to cook the pasta
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
Homemade Basil Pesto or Good Store-Bought
- 1 cup basil pesto 1 to ½cups approxiamately
- ½ cup Kalamata olives
- ⅓ cup feta cheese
- fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce, any hot sauce (optional)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese + more for serving
Sundried Tomato Dressing
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- ½ cup fresh basil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + more for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salt to cook the pasta to the boil for the pasta. Cook the 200 grams dry pasta until just passed the al dente stage which should be an extra minute or two after the required packet instructions. Reserve a cup of the 1 cup reserved pasta water
- Make the sundried salad dressing: Add the dressing ingredients except the extra virgin olive oil. ¼ cup sundried tomatoes, 1 cup fresh parsley, ½ cup fresh basil, ¼ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp kosher salt, 2 garlic cloves.Add to a food processor and blitz while pouring the ½ cup extra virgin olive oil in through the nozzle. Stop and scrape the sides, process one more time and done. It will be textured not smooth
- Assemble the pasta salad: Pour the sundried tomato dressing into a large bowl and add the 1 cup basil pesto, ½ cup Parmesan cheese + more for serving, ¼ tsp hot sauce, any hot sauce (optional), followed by the now cooked and drained pasta. Use a spatula to fold them together. Add a splash of pasta water and toss until the ingredients are all coated. Then add the½ cup Kalamata olives, fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), and⅓ cup feta cheese toss again.
- Serve: Taste the pasta salad and adjust seasoning and the pasta water to keep it light and create a bit of juices. Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for flavor and a squeeze of 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice + more for servingServe cold as a side dish or mains with shaved parmesan cheese or pecorino cheese. Remember that as it sits, the flavors get better.
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