This pesto pasta salad will be the hit of your spring or summer potluck. Tossed with my fresh and easy Vegan Pesto, the pasta noodles are coated in herby goodness along with sliced tomatoes and peppery arugula. The whole thing comes together in minutes! Just like my other pasta salad recipes, a bowl of these tasty noodles can easily be customized to your liking. Add in vegan parmesan for more cheesy flavors or vegetables and beans for extra protein and color. Just throw it all together in a bowl and leave it in the fridge until it’s time to eat. This pesto pasta salad is the perfect side dish to accompany Veggie Burgers and Best Potato Salad at your next potluck or barbecue. It’s so flavorful, easy to put together, and stores so well for days!
Easy homemade pesto
My Vegan Pesto recipe is made with simple ingredients like cashews, basil, nutritional yeast, and garlic. It whips up in minutes and is easy to freeze so you can have some ready at all times. It’s best if the pesto isn’t too thick before you add it to this recipe. Pour in a little water or olive oil and whisk it together in a bowl. Once it’s at the right texture, you can add it to the pasta.
How to make pesto pasta salad
Cook your pasta, drain the water, and rinse with cold water. Once it’s cool, add it to a large bowl. Add in the pesto and stir it together with the pasta until the noodles are well coated. Next, fold in your tomatoes, arugula and cubed vegan cheese (if using.) Season with some salt and pepper, cover the bowl with a lid, and let the pasta salad chill in the fridge until it’s time to serve.
Tips and substitutions
Gluten free – Just use your favorite gluten free pasta noodles.More vegetables – Feel free to add in as many vegetables or beans that you’d like. Cucumbers, sliced bell peppers, kalamata olives, chickpeas, or shredded carrots would all be good in this pasta salad.Vegan cheese – Make it a little creamy by adding cubed vegan mozzarella, like Miyoko’s or my homemade Shreddable Vegan Mozzarella. About 2 cups should do it.Before serving – Stir the mixture one more time. Pour in a little more olive oil or water if it seems a bit dry.
Making ahead and storing
If making the vegan pesto fresh, either store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months. Just freeze the batch in ice cube trays and transfer to ziploc bags once they’re fully frozen. Make this cold pasta salad ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. Just mix it with a little water or olive oil before serving the leftovers.
Want more summer-ready vegan recipes?
Vegan Chicken SaladMacaroni SaladThe Best Vegan Potato SaladVegan Pasta Salad
title: “Pesto Pasta Salad” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-20” author: “Colleen Kahaleua”
5 4 Published Jun 24, 2024, Updated Jul 28, 2024 Given my kids love for pasta I decided it was time to make a pesto pasta salad. I knew it would be perfect for bringing to summer cookouts, but also great as a lunch or dinner option for my kiddos. I will say, this isn’t the lightest pasta salad recipe (if you’re looking for that, check out my heathy pasta salad) but it’s absolutely delish and such crowd-pleaser, especially with the kiddos. That said, you can turn this salad into a macro-friendly meal by adding a big portion of your favorite grilled protein. I recommending adding a grilled chicken breast.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Flavor-packed: The homemade basil pesto adds a rich, robust flavor that pairs perfectly with the fresh ingredients. Simple and quick: Easy to prepare with minimal ingredients, this salad can be whipped up in no time. Versatile: Perfect as a side dish, main course, or a potluck favorite. It’s great for any occasion. I’ve even packed it in my kid’s lunches before! Make-ahead friendly: You can prepare this salad in advance and let it chill, making it an ideal option for meal prep or entertaining.
Ingredients Needed
pasta noodles – you can’t have pasta salad without the pasta, right? I recommend rotini for this salad, but honestly you can use any type of short pasta, such as penne, farfalle, or fusilli, if you don’t have rotini. And using gluten-free pasta works to make this recipe gluten-free. cherry tomatoes – pesto and tomatoes just go together. Plus they add a juicy, sweet burst of flavor to the salad. mozzarella pearls – I love using mini mozzarella pearls because I always have them on hand (my kids love snacking on them) and they’re smaller in size which means you get a little bit of that creamy, cheesy texture with each bite. If you can’t find the pearls, feel free to use chopped mozzarella cubes. Italian dressing – I like adding a little Italian dressing to my pesto pasta salad. It lightens up the pesto sauce a bit, adds extra flavor and helps the pasta from drying out. You can use my Italian dressing recipe or store-bought. I really like the Bolthouse Farms Italian if you’re looking for something lighter. fresh basil – this adds a bit of freshness and color to the salad. pesto – obviously this is the star of the show here and I have included a recipe for making homemade pesto, but I also realize that sometimes you don’t have time to break out the food processor and make pesto from scratch. No big deal, just grab fresh pesto from the store. I really like the Gotham Greens classic pesto. You’ll want to get two tubs.
How to Make Pesto Pasta Salad
How to Store Pesto Pasta Salad
Store any leftover pesto pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If the pasta absorbs too much dressing and becomes dry, simply add a little more dressing or pesto before serving. Leftover pesto: If you make the homemade pesto you might have some leftover pesto. This ca be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week. To keep it fresh and vibrant, drizzle a thin layer of olive oil on top before sealing the container.
More Side Salads You’ll Love
Chicken Fajita Pasta Salad Greek Pasta Salad Mediterranean Orzo Salad Easy Caprese Salad No Mayo Potato Salad Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Looking for more? Check out all of my favorite pasta salad recipes.
