Pasta Salad with Pesto

Be the first to
rate this recipe!
member ratings
Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 8
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 394.5
  • Total Fat: 21.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
  • Sodium: 101.6 mg
  • Total Carbs: 45.9 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 3.2 g
  • Protein: 9.3 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Pasta Salad with Pesto calories by ingredient


Introduction

This salad is best served the day it is made, if it' been refrigerated, bring it to room temperature before serving. The pesto can be made a day ahead--just cook the garlic cloves in a small sauce pan of boiling water for 1 min. garnish with aditional shaved or grated parmesan. This salad is best served the day it is made, if it' been refrigerated, bring it to room temperature before serving. The pesto can be made a day ahead--just cook the garlic cloves in a small sauce pan of boiling water for 1 min. garnish with aditional shaved or grated parmesan.
Number of Servings: 8

Ingredients

    3/4 cup pine nuts
    2 medium clove garlic (unpeeled)
    1 lb farfalle pasta
    1/4 cup + 1tbs extra virgin olive oil
    3 cups packed fresh basil leaves (abt 4 oz)
    1 cup baby spinish (packed) abt 1 oz
    1/2 tsp grown black pepper
    1tbsp fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
    1 1/2 oz finely grated parmesan cheese abt 3/4 cup
    6 tbs mayo
    1 pt cherry tomatoes, quartered or grape tomatoes, halved

Directions

1. bring 4 qts water to rolling boil in large pot. Toast pine nuts in small dry skillet over medium heat, shaing pan occasionally, until just golden and fragrant, 4 to 5 min.
2. when water is boiling, add garlic and let cook 1 min. Remove garlic with slotted spoon and rince under cold water to stop cooking; set aside to cool. Add 1tbs salt and pasta to waater, stir to separate, and cook untiltender (just past al dente).Reserve /4 cup cooking water, drain pasta, toss with 1tbs olive oil, spread in single layer on rimmed baking sheet and cool to room temerature, about 30 min.
3. when garlic is cool, peal and mince or press through garlic press. Place 1/4 cup nuts, garlic, basil, spinach, pepper, lemon juice and remainding 1/4 cup oil and 1 tsp salt in bowl of food processor and process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl as necessary. Add cheese and mayo and processd until thoroughly combined. Transfer mixture to large serving bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble salad.
4 when pasta is ool, toss with pesto, adding reserved pasta water, 1tbs at a time until pesto evenly coats pasta. Fold remaining 1/2 cup nuts and tomatoes. serve. makes 8-10 2oz servings

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user KATIEKEL.