Just Right 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.

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.

MAYA'S PERFECT PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook fusilli in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• Combine basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, oil, and garlic in a food processor; blend to make pesto.
• Toss pasta with pesto and mix in red onion, radicchio, and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

JUST-RIGHT PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta as indicated on package. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside in large bowl.
• Combine water, olive oil, and dry Knorr pesto mix together in a small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.
• Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 or more minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Peel and wash garlic. Chop finely and add to bowl with pasta.
• Wash tomatoes and slice lengthwise. Add to pasta.
• Dice black olives and add to pasta.
• Add basil to pasta and stir until all ingredients are well mingled.
• Pour sauce over pasta mixture and stir.
• Sprinkle Parmesan over pasta and stir well.
• Chill overnight for best results.

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.

CREAMY PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Mix pesto and salad dressing until well blended. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Refrigerate.

TOMATO, MOZZARELLA AND PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.
• Meanwhile, cut the mozzarella into small cubes and quarter the cherry tomatoes.
• When the pasta is cooked, drain it and rinse it in cold water until the pasta is cold. Drain it again.
• Mix the pesto sauce, olive oil and parmesan in with the pasta.
• In a large serving bowl, mix the pasta with the mozzarella and tomatoes.
• Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top and serve.

CHEESE TORTELLINI PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pastas, set aside to cool a bit.
• In large bowl or punch bowl, add rest of ingredients folding gently til well mixed.
• Gently fold in pastas well.
• Adjust seasonings to taste, meaning, add more salt, parmesan, etc., til it's to your own liking.
• Serve immediately, or refrigerate.
• *If serving this much later or the next day, you'll need to "refresh" this. Just add a bit more olive oil, salt and parmesan cheese before serving as the noodles suck up the oil and seasonings a bit.
• *This salad is best room temp or even slightly warm.