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A spoon holding a serving of pesto pasta salad over a bowl full of pasta salad.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Pesto Pasta Salad is bursting with flavor! In only 10 minutes, pasta is tossed with your favorite veggies, and coated in a zesty pesto sauce.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pasta bow tie pasta (farfalle) is a great choice
  • 1 cup homemade pesto or 7 to 8 ounces of jarred pesto sauce
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups fresh spinach shredded and measured packed
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes - halved or grape tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts for garnish
  • fresh grated parmesan for garnish

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  • Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, watching carefully, so they don’t burn. Toasting the pine nuts will take about 6-7 minutes. Transfer the pine nuts to a plate. Set aside to cool.
  • When the water boils, add about 2 tablespoons of salt. Add pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente pasta.
  • Drain the pasta when done. Cool under running water. Shake off excess water, then pour pasta into a large bowl.
  • Add lemon juice to the pesto. Add pesto to pasta, and toss to combine
  • Add salt and pepper, spinach, tomatoes, and onion. Toss again.
  • Top with grated parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts.

Notes

Storage: Leftovers may be stored safely in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It tastes best if eaten within about three days. Freezing is not recommended.

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 475mg | Potassium: 228mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1174IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg
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