Pesto Pasta Salad
Pesto Pasta Salad
The pesto in this recipe is a great one to make in bulk and keep on hand whenever you're looking to add a little flavor to pasta, a rice salad, or to even spread on a loaf of bread.
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Servings
6
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
- 1/4 cup frozen peas
- 3/4 cup spinach (thawed and squeezed)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts or walnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more if needed
- 1 pound pasta
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 recipe of the pesto
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 2-4 tablespoon pine nuts, plus extra for topping
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
Directions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and purée. Add more olive oil if needed. Taste for additional seasonings.
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. Drain and add to a large serving bowl. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and then drain rest. Take the chicken stock and add into hot pasta water to dissolve.
- Add the pesto, peas, pine nuts, and ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese and toss together. Add the chicken broth liquid if mixture is a little too thick.
- Cover and either keep warm for serving or refrigerate pasta until cold to use later. Before serving, garnish with pine nuts and Parmesan cheese.