Easy Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe: Fresh Pesto

These days I’m definitely in a summer mood. The only things I can think about are the sea and beaches and I don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. But I still want to eat delicious food. I do have cravings for light meals, fresh veggies and fruits. One of my favorite light meals is pesto pasta salad. This pesto pasta salad recipe is easy and one of my favorite Italian dishes!

Pasta salad is a perfect dish with so many variations. It provides endless possibilities for new flavor combinations and ingredients. You can use fresh or roasted veggies, cheese, meat or anything you like.

Also you can use any pasta you want, noodles, penne, tortellini …

Pasta salad is easy to transport and easy to enjoy. For me, this is by far the best ever pasta salad, with ripe tomatoes, salty feta, crunchy cucumber, olives and peppery arugula pesto. It is the perfect summer light dish to any potluck, bbq or picnic.

Homemade arugula pesto adds delicious flavor to the dish and it’s so easy to prepare.

You just need to toast the almonds and wash arugula. 🙂 With toasted almonds pesto will be more flavorful.

Place all ingrediets in a blender and blend until smooth.

Toss warm pasta with the pesto so it will absorb more flavor.

Crunchy fresh veggies, peppery arugula pesto and salty feta give this pasta salad its unique texture and flavor.

Pesto pasta salad

2014-07-16 14:01:44

Serves 4

This is by far the best ever pasta salad, with ripe tomatoes, salty feta, crunchy cucumber, olives and peppery arugula pesto

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Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

30 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

30 min

For arugula pesto

1 ounces arugula
1 garlic clove
¼ cup almonds
¼ cup grated Parmesan
¼ cup extra olive oil

The rest of ingredients

8 oz tortellini with cheese filling
4 oz feta cheese, cubed
6 oz cherry tomato, cut in halves or quarters
2 tbsp black olives, pitted
1 medium or 2 smalls cucumbers, chopped

To prepare arugula pesto

Place the almonds in a pan and toast them over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Wash and dry leaves of arugula.
Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.
Season with salt to taste.
If not using straight away, put the pesto in a jar, cover with a thin film of olive oil and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

To prepare salad

Add the tortellini to a large pot of rapidly boiling water and cook them according to package instructions. Reserve 4 tbsp of pasta cooking water .
Mix the pesto with cooking water.
Drain the tortellini and return them to the pot.
Add the pesto mixture and gently toss to coat.
Add the tomatoes, feta and olives to the pasta and gently mix.
Season to taste and serve immediately.

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