Pasta salad with pesto sauce
8 servings
30 minutes
Pasta salad with pesto sauce is the quintessence of Italian cuisine, combining simplicity and sophistication. Originating in sunny Liguria, pesto—a fragrant blend of basil, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan crushed with olive oil—has become a symbol of freshness and flavor. In this salad, fusilli are gently enveloped in this vibrant sauce, mingling with salty olives, sweet green peas, and crunchy pine nuts. Cherry tomatoes add freshness while basil leaves complete the picture of true Mediterranean delight. This salad is perfect as a light summer lunch or an elegant dish for a friendly dinner, evoking warm memories of sea breezes and cozy streets of Italy.
1
Boil the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the water and place them in a large bowl. Add pesto, olives, green peas, and pine nuts. Dress the salad with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Fusilli: 250 g
- Pesto: 1 glass
- Pitted olives: 50 g
- Green peas: 1 glass
- Toasted pine nuts: 30 g
- Olive oil: 1 tablespoon
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
2
Place the salad on a plate and garnish with fresh basil leaves and halved cherry tomatoes.
- Basil leaves: to taste
- Red cherry tomatoes: 300 g
