Spring Green Pesto Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Refreshing cold pasta tossed with homemade basil pesto, sweet peas, arugula, and crunchy pine nuts. Ideal for spring gatherings.

# 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 pine nuts, toasted
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 pine nuts, extra, toasted
12 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Optional Additions

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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining. Rinse the cooked pasta under cold running water until cooled completely, then set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, bring a separate pot of water to boil. Add frozen peas and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water 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 ingredients are combined. With motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until a smooth, creamy paste forms. Adjust seasoning to taste.
04 - Place cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add pesto and toss thoroughly, gradually adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky, well-coated consistency.
05 - Fold blanched peas, baby arugula, lemon zest, and extra toasted pine nuts into the pasta mixture. If desired, add crumbled feta cheese and fresh herbs. Gently combine all components.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes better after sitting in the fridge for an hour, which means you can make it ahead and actually enjoy your guests.
  • The peppery arugula cuts through the richness of the pesto in a way that makes you want another forkful.
  • It works as a side dish or a full meal, depending on how hungry or lazy you're feeling that day.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional here, it stops the cooking immediately and washes away excess starch that would make everything gummy.
  • If you add the arugula while the pasta is still warm, it wilts just enough to lose its bite but keeps its color, which is actually a nice middle ground.
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the secret to making the pesto coat smoothly instead of clumping in the bowl.
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat and watch them like a hawk, they go from golden to burnt in about ten seconds.
  • If your pesto looks too thick, thin it with pasta water instead of more oil so it stays silky and doesn't get greasy.
  • Make a double batch of pesto and freeze half in an ice cube tray, then you've got instant flavor bombs for weeknight pasta or stirring into soups.
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