Sun-dried tomatoes and basil bring intense flavor to this pesto pasta salad. The recipe is super easy, packs a lot of punch, and is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
This sun-dried tomato pesto pasta salad combines cooked cold pasta, sun-dried tomato pesto, cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, crunchy arugula, and fresh basil leaves. It’s incredibly flavorful and provides a welcome variety to classic Italian pasta salad.
Instead of tossed with a dressing, pesto pasta salad is seasoned with pesto sauce. I love to use a homemade sun-dried tomato pesto (also known as red pesto or pesto rosso) for this. Sun-dried tomatoes are super aromatic and turn this cold pasta salad into a family favorite.
Plus, my recipe for sun-dried tomato pesto is made without parmesan cheese and thus turning this recipe into a vegan pesto pasta salad!
Do you prefer green pesto? Then use this vegan basil pesto recipe to make the salad.
Ingredients
You can find the quantities in the recipe.
- Pasta → Of your choice! I like to use rigatoni, fusilli, penne, or farfalle. Feel free to use gluten-free pasta.
- Cherry Tomatoes → Add freshness and some juiciness. Can also be substituted with chopped tomatoes of your choice.
- Arugula & Fresh Basil → For a color intense salad and extra flavor!
- Pine Nuts → Provide a great crunch and nutty flavor. Be sure to toast them first!
- Olive Oil → Just a little to toss the salad. Feel free to add some balsamic vinegar or lemon juice too.
- Red Pesto → Sun-dried tomatoes, the oil in which the tomatoes are packed in, toasted almonds, garlic, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup (or sugar), salt & pepper.
Visual Step-by-Step Instructions
This visual step-by-step instruction will help you along the way – definitely recommended if you’re a cooking beginner! 😉
- Pesto: Toast almonds in a skillet without oil for 5 minutes until golden brown. Place them with the remaining pesto ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until the pesto has the desired consistency.
- Cook pasta according to the packet instructions in boiling salt water until al dente. Drain, toss with some olive oil if desired, and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
- Toast pine nuts in a skillet without oil for 5 minutes until golden brown.
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a glass jar and shake well or whisk them together in a small bowl.
- Arrange all pasta salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the pesto on top and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
This salad can be made up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge until needed. Hint: I like to take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving! For the arugula to stay crunchy and not to wilt, fold it under the salad just before serving. 😉
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 2 days.
More Delicious Pasta Salad Recipes
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Pasta Salad with Avocado & Strawberries
- Caprese Pasta Salad
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📖 Recipe
Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 10.5 oz pasta I recommend fusilli, penne, or rigatoni
- 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 cups arugula
- 2 tbsp pine nuts toasted
- 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Pesto Rosso
- ⅓ cup almonds toasted
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
- 4 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar or olive oil, see notes
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup or sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pesto: Toast almonds in a skillet without oil for 5 minutes until golden brown. Place them with the remaining pesto ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until the pesto has the desired consistency.
- Cook pasta according to the packet instructions in boiling salt water until al dente. Drain, toss with some olive oil if desired, and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
- Toast pine nuts in a skillet without oil for 5 minutes until golden brown.
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a glass jar and shake well or whisk them together in a small bowl.
- Arrange all pasta salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the pesto on top and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.