Pesto Pasta Salad
This creamy Pesto Pasta Salad is easy to make and a delight to eat! Fresh and colorful, this salad can be made ahead of time and is the perfect side dish to serve at summer parties or to take to a potluck.
Servings: 12 people
Ingredients
- 1 pound mini farfalle bowtie pasta 1 box
- ½ cup prepared basil pesto
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 oz. chopped prosciutto
- ½ cup chopped Peperoncini
- 6 thinly-sliced radishes trimmed of stems
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes quartered; divided
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts divided
- ½ cup shaved Parmigiana or Parmesan cheese divided
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves divided
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al-dente, per package directions. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking; shake off excess liquid. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Pour the cooked pasta onto the paper towels to let the pasta dry about 15-20 minutes.
- While the pasta cooks, whisk together the pesto, mayonnaise and black pepper. Keep the sauce refrigerated until ready to use.
- After the pasta has cooled and dried, transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Add prosciutto, peperoncini, radish slices, 3/4ths of the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, ¼ cup shaved Parmigiana and 1 tablespoon chopped basil. Toss to combine.
- Pour the Pesto/Mayonnaise sauce over the salad and gently mix until all ingredients are coated.
- To serve, place the salad on a serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining tomatoes, pine nuts, shaved Parmigiano, and basil. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 615IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 0.8mg