Basil Pesto Salad Food

BASIL PESTO POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with lightly salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool until easily handled, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Peel potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Add white wine, olive oil, and lemon juice; toss lightly to combine.
• Mix mayonnaise and pesto together in a small bowl. Pour over potato salad and toss gently. Garnish with red onion. Chill until serving.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Pulse until mixture becomes smooth and blended.
• Pour mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap; roll into a tube shape and seal. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

THE BEST BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Peel and bash the garlic in a pestle and mortar with a pinch of sea salt.
• Pick the basil leaves and add with the pine nuts, and pound to a coarse paste.
• Muddle in the extra virgin olive oil and finely grate and stir in the Parmesan, adding a splash of water if you like it a little runnier, then continue bashing and pounding until smooth.
• Have a taste and season with salt and black pepper, if needed. For a lovely creamy finish, try crumbling in and stirring through a cooked Jersey Royal. Serve with grilled meat or fish, or simply stirred through pasta - delicious!

PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain and immediately rinse the pasta under cool water to prevent the noodles from sticking to one another. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl.
• Meanwhile, to prepare the pesto: In a small skillet, toast the pepitas over medium heat, stirring often, until they are fragrant and making little popping noises, about 5 minutes. Pour half of the pepitas into a bowl for later (we will use them as garnish).
• Pour the remaining pepitas into a food processor. Add the basil, parsley, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Process while slowly drizzling in the olive oil, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary, until the pepitas have broken down to create a pretty smooth sauce.
• To assemble the pasta salad, pour all of the pesto over the pasta and toss until the pasta is lightly and evenly coated, adding a tiny splash of reserved pasta cooking water if necessary to thin it out. Then add the cherry tomatoes, arugula, remaining toasted pepitas, and any optional add-ins (olives, chickpeas and/or cheese).
• Toss again to combine, then season to taste with pepper. If the pasta needs more flavor, add salt, to taste, or a splash of lemon juice. If the flavors are too bold, let it rest for a few minutes, and add a little splash of olive oil if necessary to tone down the rest.

BASIL PESTO TORTELLINI PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Fill a large pan with water and season salt. Place the pan over high heat until boiling. Then add the tortellini to the hot water.
• Cook the tortellini pasta until tender (see instructions on the package). Tortellini are ready when they rise to the surface. Once the tortellini are cooked, drain them. If you are serving this salad cold: immediately refresh the cooked tortellini under cold running tap water to stop the cooking process. Let the (cooled) tortellini drain and then pour them in a large mixing bowl.
• Drizzle the tortellini with the fresh basil pesto.
• Stir the pasta salad well. Then chop up the fresh basil and add it to the pasta salad together with the crunchy pine nuts. Season with a dash of pepper and salt. Add a pinch of garlic powder as well.
• Add the salted capers, the black olives and a good drizzle of olive oil to the pasta salad.
• Stir the tortellini pasta salad well. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper, salt or garlic powder to taste if necessary. Then scoop the tortellini salad onto deep plates if you are serving it warm. Chill the pasta in the fridge for 15 minutes or longer if you are serving it cold.

BROCCOLI, PASTA, AND PESTO SALAD

Steps:

• Cook and drain pasta; cool.
• Combine pasta, meat, broccoli, and cheeses in large bowl.
• Put basil and garlic in food processor or blender; whiz.
• Add mayo to food processor or blender.
• Mix thoroughly.
• Stir into pasta mix.
• Toss to coat.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
• During the last 1/2 hour of chilling time, toss once to mix.
• For color contrast, serve with cherry tomatoes, cut in halves.

BASIL PESTO COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil.
• Add couscous, butter and salt.
• Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
• Topping: In a blender, blend all topping ingredients except the parmesan.
• (Alternately, use a ready made basil pesto).
• Cook blended mixture (pesto) in a pan until warm/hot.
• Mix the warm topping mix with couscous.
• Toss with parmesan cheese.
• Serve immediately.

BASIL PESTO SALAD DRESSING RECIPE

Steps:

• In the bowl of your food processor, combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts. Pulse until coarsely chopped. While the machine is running, drizzle in the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
• Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and blend until smooth. For best flavor, use immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

BASIL PESTO SALAD DRESSING

Steps:

• In the bowl of your food processor (a blender will probably also work), combine the basil, garlic and pine nuts. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
• While the machine is running, drizzle in the olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and blend until smooth. For best flavor, use immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare the pesto and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package directions, or until slightly past al dente. Before draining the pasta, scoop ¾ cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta and toss it with a little olive oil so that it doesn't stick together. Spread the pasta on a baking sheet and let it (and the reserved pasta water) cool to room temperature.
• In a large bowl combine the pasta, zucchini, yellow squash, pesto, the reserved pasta water, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and toss. Season to taste. Top with the pine nuts, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes, if using. Serve the salad at room temperature.

TOMATO BASIL MOZZARELLA SALAD

Steps:

• Wash and slice each cherry tomato into halves.
• Add cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls to small mixing bowl.
• Dice the garlic clove and add it to mixing bowl with salt and Italian seasoning.
• Add fresh chopped basil leaves.
• Mix in the bowl with the balsamic vinegar until well combined.
• Spoon and serve.