Spring Green Pesto Pasta Salad (Printable)

Refreshing cold pasta with homemade basil pesto, sweet peas, arugula, and toasted pine nuts. Ideal for spring picnics.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz short pasta (fusilli, farfalle, or penne)

→ Pesto

02 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
03 - 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
04 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1 garlic clove
06 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1/2 lemon, juiced
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Vegetables & Greens

09 - 1 cup frozen peas
10 - 3 cups baby arugula
11 - 1/4 cup pine nuts, extra, toasted
12 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Optional Additions

13 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
14 - Fresh herbs (mint, parsley), chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, drain, and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - Blanch frozen peas in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
03 - Combine basil, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse while drizzling in olive oil until smooth and creamy.
04 - Toss cooled pasta with pesto in a large bowl, adding reserved pasta water as needed for silky consistency.
05 - Fold in blanched peas, arugula, lemon zest, and extra toasted pine nuts. Add crumbled feta and fresh herbs if desired.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or extra lemon juice. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pesto clings beautifully to every twist of pasta, so you get bursts of herbaceous flavor in every single bite
  • Cold pasta salads can sometimes feel heavy, but the arugula and lemon zest keep this one remarkably fresh and light
  • It travels exceptionally well and actually tastes better after the flavors have mingled for an hour
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and washes away excess starch, which prevents that gummy texture cold pasta sometimes gets
  • Let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes before serving, allowing the pesto to really penetrate the pasta and the flavors to harmonize
03 -
  • Toasting pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat takes about 3 minutes, stay close because they go from perfectly golden to burned in seconds
  • If your pesto seems too thick, that reserved pasta water is the secret ingredient restaurants use for silky smooth sauce consistency
Go Back