Purée until smooth, then add the mayonnaise.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the pesto, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of the peas. If you leave them in the hot pan, they will continue to cook. Keep a close eye on them, as they burn quickly, and then transfer them to a plate as soon as they are cooked. Next, toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until golden. Be sure it is fully cooked, as pasta firms up at room temperature (you don’t want al dente-cooked pasta for pasta salad). If the cheese is already grated, it should be labeled “Parmigiano-Reggiano,” not “Parmesan.” How To Make Pasta Salad with Pestoīegin by boiling the pasta in salted water. You can always tell if it’s authentic by looking at the rind, which is embossed with the name over and over. Rotini is another good option.įor the pesto, I use my Best Basic Pesto recipe, which is in my fridge practically all summer long, but store-bought will work, too.įor the cheese, use the real-deal imported Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy domestic Parmesan pales in comparison. The best pasta to use for this salad is corkscrew-shaped fusilli, which has plenty of surface area and groves for capturing the pesto sauce.

What You’ll Need To Make Pasta Salad with Pesto Go ahead and make all of the components of the salad a day ahead of time just keep everything separate and toss together right before serving. Toasted pine nuts add flavor and crunch, while mozzarella pearls and fresh basil jazz the whole dish up.

I go all-out green by adding sweet peas to both the pesto sauce and the pasta. In this recipe, zesty pesto, mellowed and thickened with a little mayonnaise, makes a lovely sauce. The key to making a delicious pasta salad is to replace the sharp vinaigrette with a rich and flavorful sauce. The usual formula – cold cooked pasta, raw vegetables, and an oil-and-vinegar salad dressing – just doesn’t work well. Though pasta salad is a staple at every summer cookout, most of them are (forgive me) pretty horrible. Zesty pesto, green peas, pine nuts, and mozzarella pearls make a flavorful and pretty pasta salad.

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