Cold Pesto Pasta Salad Food

PASTA SALAD WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Cook the fusilli in a large pot of boiling salted water until fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes (you don't want al dente pasta here). Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, purée the pesto, lemon juice, and ½ cup of the peas. Add the mayonnaise and purée until smooth.
• Add the pesto-pea mixture to the cooled pasta, along with the Parmesan, ¾ cup of the peas, 3 tablespoons of the pine nuts, the mozzarella, the salt, and the pepper. Mix well, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. (I usually add ¼ teaspoon each more salt and pepper, but it will depend on the saltiness of the pesto you're using and how heavily the pasta water was salted.) Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle the remaining peas, pine nuts, and basil over top. Serve at room temperature.
• Note: To toast the pine nuts, place them in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden. Watch the nuts carefully, as they can burn quickly, and transfer them to small bowl immediately after cooking (they will continue to brown in the hot pan).
• Make-Ahead Instructions: The components of this pasta salad can be made ahead a day ahead of time; just keep everything separate and toss together right before serving.

COLD PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• In a large heavy-bottomed pot cook pasta according to the package directions.
• Drain pasta and rinse with cold water and drain again.
• In a large bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, corn, bell pepper, and pesto.
• toss.
• top with parmesan.

FABULOUS PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, pepper, onion powder, mustard, garlic, basil, oregano, cilantro, hot pepper sauce, red wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Add the tomatoes, green onions and olives to the bowl, and stir to coat. Refrigerate.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender. Drain, and rinse with cold water to cool. Add pasta to the bowl of dressing, and mix well. Top with mozzarella cheese and pine nuts. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients for pesto sauce in food processor, except olive oil and lime juice. Pulse to a rough paste, then pulse in olive oil and lime juice. Toss with cooked, cooled pasta and Parmesan. Fold in 3 chopped tomatoes, and scatter 4th tomato over top of pasta.

PASTA SALAD WITH LEMON-PESTO DRESSING

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.
• Place pesto, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, tomatoes, scallions and cheese in a large bowl.
• Cook pasta to al dente then cold shock it and chill it down under cold running water. Drain well. Add to mixing bowl. Combine salad and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

CREAMY PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Mix pesto and dressing in large bowl until blended.
• Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly.
• Refrigerate 1 hour.

PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring large pot of water to boil, add pasta, and cook over high heat for 9 minutes. Then add frozen peas to the water in which the pasta's cooking, and cook an additional 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat immediately, and rinse with plenty of cold water. Drain well. Place in large mixing bowl, and toss with remaining ingredients. Spoon into serving dish and chill.

PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil
• Cook pasta until ad dente
• Drain pasta
• While still hot, mix with pesto sauce
• Let cook about 15 minutes
• Add cherry tomatoes that have been diced and Parmesan cheese
• Toss and chill until ready to serve