I’m calling this a spring pasta salad, but really it can be made any time of year with whatever vegetables are in season. It just evokes spring with it’s bright colors and flavors and is super easy to make. I grow basil in an Earth Box on my patio, so I’m always looking to make something with it or give it away as it grows like a tree! The traditional sweet basil is best for this and is the one sold everywhere in stores. Thai basil might not work here as it’s a different flavor. Best to save that for curries or fresh spring rolls!
Most pestos use nuts and I really prefer pine nuts as that’s what’s used in a traditional pesto, but they’re expensive and not easy to get for some. Having said that, walnuts are your next best option. They need to be toasted before using in the pesto to bring out their nutty flavor so I place them on a piece of foil and toast them in my Breville oven but a regular toaster oven or a pan on the stove works just as well. Don’t burn them! Keep a watchful eye on them and take them out as soon as they start to turn a little brown. I then pop them in the freezer for a few minutes to cool because if you add hot nuts to the pesto, it will turn it brown because it cooks the basil.
After making the pesto, it’s just a matter of cooking your favorite pasta and then adding whatever veggies you want. Peas and asparagus are spring favorites but this would be equally as delicious with squash and tomatoes in the fall. I also added chopped arugula and sundried tomatoes for even more umami.
If you have leftover pesto, you can store it in the fridge for a few weeks or even freeze it. Using ice cube trays is a good way to freeze it as then you can add a cube or two to dishes when you need it! Drop them in soup, tomato sauces or mix with vegan butter and slather on bread and grill it for the best garlic bread ever!
Easy Spring Pesto Pasta Salad
30
minutesA delicious spring vegetable pasta salad that’s good any time of year (except maybe Groundhog Day, don’t ask…)!
Ingredients
- Basil Pesto
1 bunch of fresh basil (about 1 cup) leaves only, no stems, washed and dried
1 clove fresh garlic
1/4 cup toasted walnuts or pine nuts
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup olive oil (or more if needed)
Salt and pepper to taste
- Pasta salad
1/2 box cooked & cooled pasta (I used orzo which looks like rice)
Veggies (I used grilled asparagus, peas, chopped red onion, chopped arugula, chopped sundried tomatoes and fresh chopped grape tomatoes)
Directions
- Basil Pesto
- In a food processor, combine all of the pesto ingredients except the oil and process until chopped fine. With the processor running, add oil until a thick paste develops. You want it the consistency of runny peanut butter so if it’s not loose enough, add a
bit more oil until it is. I can tend to
over-salt this so be careful as you can always add salt, but you can’t take it away! - Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta according to package directions. I always add a lot
of salt to my cooking water. It should be salty like the sea. - When pasta is cooled, add all the other ingredients and enough pesto to coat everything evenly.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge. Enjoy!
Notes
- You could add protein like a grilled vegan chicken or even some vegan cheese.
- Orzo is an ideal pasta for this salad as the shape is not too big. I find penne hard to eat in a pasta salad.
- If you don’t have enough basil, you can add some fresh spinach or arugula to the pesto instead.
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