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How do you make pesto pasta salad?
This tasty pesto pasta salad with feta, olives and sun-dried tomatoes is easy to make, and packs up perfectly for lunch! 
I’m not really one for New Year’s resolutions, but I am trying to eat better and spend my money more carefully this year. One change that really helps in both of those areas in packing my snacks and lunch for work. When I looked back at how much money I spent on fast food last year, I was really disappointed in myself.
- Don’t get me wrong, I have no issues with spending money on food – but this wasn’t even food that I wanted to eat.
- Most of what I spent my money on last year was low-quality fast food that I bought out of desperation, usually because I had very little time to eat and hadn’t brought anything with me.
- Obviously, that didn’t do anything good for my wallet or my waistline, so this year I’m trying to do better.
I brought this pesto pasta salad to work the other day, and one of my co-workers commented on how good it looked. Then another came in and asked me if my mom had made it for me (nope). Then someone else came in and said it looked so much better than the sub they had just bought. It turns out that sometimes the most simple recipes are the ones that really resonate with people. And pretty much anything looks better than a store-bought sub with mysterious bland chicken from a crappy fast-food chain. We really need a better fast food option near our workplace! Anyhow, this pesto pasta salad recipe is so easy, you really don’t even need to read the full recipe below.
- Simply boil any small sturdy pasta that you enjoy.
- I used rigatoni, but fusilli, rotini, penne, orecchiette or even macaroni would work.
- Top with whatever you like.
- I went with feta cheese, but those tiny bocconcini balls would be great too.
- I used sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and marinated artichoke hearts.
You might want want to try fresh cherry tomatoes, green peas, red onions, pine nuts or some leftover chicken breast in there too. Then toss with basil pesto (store-bought is fine, but I like homemade) and you’re done. I don’t make this recipe exactly the same every time.
I usually use what I have in my fridge, or buy what’s in season at the grocery. Feel free to play around with it until you figure out what your favourite ingredients are. I know that many people will want an actual recipe for this pesto pasta salad though, so I’m including it below. Print it out, scribble all over it and make it yours.
The only real tips for this recipe is to make sure you salt your pasta water well (that’s your one chance to season the pasta on the inside). Also, follow the cooking instructions on the package to make sure you don’t overcook it (the cooking times will vary depending on the type of pasta you use).
- If you want to give the pasta a quick rinse after cooking to prevent the pasta from sticking together, you can.
- I don’t bother, because I want my pesto to stick to the pasta.
- If you chose to, just remember that rinsing is something you only ever do when making pasta salad.
- NEVER rinse your pasta if you’re making a warm pasta dish! You want your sauce to stick to the pasta.
Also, be sure to drain the pasta really well before adding the pesto, or it will be a soggy mess. As for the veggies, don’t worry about cutting everything evenly. I like having bigger pieces of artichokes, but smaller pieces of sun-dried tomatoes. It doesn’t really matter what they look like, and nothing needs to be cooked so it’s ok if they’re not cut evenly or are similar in size.
Once everything is tossed together, you can serve it at room temperature. Leftovers pack up well in a glass container (so you don’t have to worry about the pesto staining the container). That’s about it! If you give this pesto pasta salad recipe a try, let me know how it turns out for you in the comments below.
Happy Cooking! An easy pesto pasta salad recipe with feta, sundried tomatoes, olives and more. PREPARATION TIME 15 mins COOK TIME 10 mins TOTAL TIME 25 mins COURSE Main Course CUISINE Canadian
Large Pot for Pasta Large Bowl
4 cups rigatoni, (can use white or whole grain) 1 teaspoon salt, plus extra for seasoning if needed ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced ½ cup roasted bell peppers, diced ¼ cup marinated artichoke hearts, diced ¼ cup olives, sliced (Kalamata, or your favourite) ½ cup feta cheese, diced or crumbled ¼ cup basil pesto black pepper, to taste
Fill a large pot with water and set on stove. Bring to a boil. Season water with 1 tsp of salt and stir to dissolve. Cook pasta according to package directions. Remove from heat, drain well and place in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, peppers, artichokes, and olives to the bowl. Top with the pesto and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve at room temperature.
Please read the blog post for detailed tips and explanations. Calories: 1587 kcal | Carbohydrates: 224 g | Protein: 54 g | Fat: 54 g | Saturated Fat: 17 g | Cholesterol: 72 mg | Sodium: 5566 mg | Potassium: 2569 mg | Fiber: 18 g | Sugar: 33 g | Vitamin A: 3044 IU | Vitamin C: 65 mg | Calcium: 627 mg | Iron: 10 mg Nutrition Disclaimer: please note that the nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate, and has been calculated using a plugin.
Näytä koko vastaus
What is Pesto Pasta?
How To Make Pesto Pasta with Feta and Tomato – This pesto pasta recipe is flavored by tender tomatoes and tasty feta cheese. Not only is it a delight to eat but it also is low in calories! Prep: 20 mins Cook: 10 mins Total: 30 mins Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta, or farfalle, and fusilli pasta, cooked and cooled
- 1 cup pesto, (recipe below)
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup pasta water, if necessary
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
What is feta pasta and how do you make it?
What is baked feta pasta? – I’m not on TikTok, but this baked feta pasta has become so popular, I’ve seen it on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest! On TikTok alone, the #bakedfetapasta hashtag has amassed 52 million views and counting! Baked feta pasta is going viral all over the world because it’s astonishingly simple to make with just a handful of fresh ingredients – and it actually tastes amazing! It’s also going crazy because it’s unique – how many pastas have you seen with melted feta as the base of the sauce? The idea is based off of the Greek appetizer, baked feta, to create the base of a decadent sauce – and it works! The premise of TikTok feta pasta is simple: Toss tomatoes with a generous amount of olive oil in a baking dish, add a block of feta to the middle and throw it in the oven until the feta it’s soft and melty and the tomatoes are caramelized and bursting.
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How do you Cook Pasta with feta cheese and tomatoes?
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- 8-12 ounces medium pasta like gemilli, rotini, fusilli (see notes)
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes (20-25 ounces)
- ½ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil (optional)
- ¼ cup basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling
- ½ tsp EACH dried oregano, dried parsley
- ¼ tsp EACH dried thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper
- 1 7-8 oz. block feta in brine, preferably French feta/100% sheep’s milk (see notes)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped basil
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Add the tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, olive oil, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme and red pepper flakes. Stir all of the ingredients together until evenly coated.
- Make room in the center of the dish and add the feta. Drizzle the top of the feta with olive oil.
- Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until the until the feta is soft and tomatoes are bursting.
- Meanwhile, chop the garlic and basil and cook the pasta in salted water according to the package directions (plan on adding the pasta to the boiling water 10 minutes before the feta and tomatoes are done). Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water for later.
- Remove the dish from the oven and immediately add the garlic and basil and stir for 30 seconds so the residual heat can cook the garlic.
- Using a spatula, press down on the feta cheese to break it down and make it creamy; then stir everything together until completely combined to create the sauce. Add the pasta and toss to evenly coat with the sauce. For a creamier pasta (recommended), stir in desired amount of reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time until it reaches desired consistency (I use ½ cup).
- Taste and season with additional salt, pepper and/or red pepper flakes to taste (I like ¼ tsp EACH more salt and pepper). For a less tangy pasta, stir in a couple teaspoons sugar or honey to taste (like you do in any tomatoes-based sauce).
