Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad
Patricia @ ButterYum
Here’s a delicious pasta salad to add to your culinary repertoire. The recipe makes a ton and stores well for several days in the fridge so you can easily make it ahead. The flavor of this salad is best served slightly warm or at room temperature - enjoy!
Items used to make this recipe:
(affiliate links)
pesto https://amzn.to/39rf9YY
pasta https://amzn.to/3zEj5QW
pine nuts https://amzn.to/39uAHnB
Duke’s mayonnaise https://amzn.to/3xQF19Z
large mixing bowl https://amzn.to/3tBrelc
Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad
makes enough to feed a crowd
Ingredients
1 pound pasta (shapes that work well are gemelli, fusili, rotini, penne)
3/4 cup prepared pesto (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup real mayonnaise (we love Duke’s)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 cups asparagus tips, cooked
15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Optional: 3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Garnish: chopped fresh chives
Directions
Cook pasta in salted water until al dente; drain and set aside until needed.
In a very large mixing bowl (6-quart or larger), whisk together the pesto, mayo, and salt.
Add the cooked pasta, peas, asparagus, chickpeas, pine nuts, and chives; mix well and serve immediately..
adapted from The Cookie Rookie
Notes
My favorite store-bought pesto is Kirkland brand from Costco. It’s made with D.O.P. Genovese Basil imported from Italy. But if you prefer to use homemade, check out my recipe here.
Feel free to use any pasta you like, but I prefer shapes that are 1 to 2 inches in length (roughly the same size of the asparagus tips).