Spring Green Pesto Pasta Salad (Printable)

Refreshing cold pasta tossed with homemade basil pesto, sweet peas, peppery arugula, and crunchy toasted pine nuts.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz short pasta such as fusilli, farfalle, or penne

→ Pesto

02 - 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
03 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
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 and Greens

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

→ Optional Additions

13 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
14 - Fresh mint and parsley, chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, drain, and rinse the pasta under cold water until completely cooled. Set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, bring a separate pot of water to boil. Add frozen peas and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water immediately to stop the cooking process.
03 - Combine basil, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic clove, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse until combined. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until a smooth, creamy consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add pesto and toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water in small amounts as needed to achieve a silky texture.
05 - Gently fold in blanched peas, arugula, lemon zest, and extra toasted pine nuts. If desired, add crumbled feta cheese and fresh chopped herbs.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, black pepper, or fresh lemon juice as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like spring in a bowl, bright and clean without being heavy or rich.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets better as the flavors soak into the pasta.
  • The homemade pesto takes minutes and beats anything from a jar by miles.
  • It works as a side dish or a full meal, and everyone always asks for seconds.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional here, it stops the cooking and prevents a gummy, clumpy mess.
  • If you skip toasting the pine nuts, you'll lose that warm, nutty depth that makes the pesto unforgettable.
  • The reserved pasta water is your secret weapon for a silky sauce, it has starch that helps everything cling together.
03 -
  • Taste your pesto before adding it to the pasta, it should be bold and bright on its own so it can stand up to all those other ingredients.
  • Don't overdress the pasta, you can always add more pesto but you can't take it away once it's mixed in.
  • If your arugula is more mature and peppery than baby greens, use a little less or balance it with extra lemon juice.
Go Back