Pesto Pasta Salad

An easy homemade pesto elevates a casual pasta salad recipe to a must-try dish. Pasta salads are ideal for summer days when it's too hot to eat fresh-from-the-oven dishes.

8 Servings

Ingredients

Pesto:
3 cups packed fresh basil
1 cup packed fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Salad:
1 pound gemelli or other short pasta
1 cup plain 2 percent Greek yogurt
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

Preparation

Make pesto: In a food processor puree basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and pine nuts until smooth. With motor running, add olive oil and process until a thick paste forms. Add Parmesan and pulse twice. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Make salad: Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and run under cold water to stop cooking.

In a large bowl, combine pesto and Greek yogurt and stir until well blended. Add cold pasta and toss to coat with dressing. Top with tomatoes. Serve salad at room temperature or cover and refrigerate to serve chilled.

Nutritional Information

Calories 464
Fat 24 g
Satfat 5 g
Protein 15 g
Carbohydrate 49 g
Fiber 7 g
Cholesterol 10 mg
Sodium 414 mg


MyRecipes
August 2008