This easy pesto pasta salad is fresh, flavourful, and perfect for quick dinners, lunchboxes, or picnics. It’s simple to make and always a crowd-pleaser.
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Please don't think I'm crazy superwoman making and photographing all these recipes with a newborn.
Seeing as he made an early appearance, I had a few recipes made up, photographed and ready to share and a bit of writing is giving my brain a break from feed baby, feed myself, sleep, repeat (that doesn't mean I'm not loving it though!).
You know I'm not a salad lover but throw some carbs in there and you just might convince me to have a bite or two.
Add feta and I will possibly eat a bowl of the stuff. This pesto pasta salad is a regular in my group of friends. I heard the other day that one of the husbands discovered it and it is his go-to side when he cooks dinner.
Here's why it's so good - it has leaves and sweet potato so it's definitely healthy. It looks pretty. It's easy to make.
It's quite filling so you can eat it as lunch if you like or add a piece of grilled meat to make a light dinner.
I'm still going - it lasts a few days in the fridge so you can make a big batch and eat it over a couple of days if you're the type of person who doesn't mind eating the same thing and finally, it has pesto and feta which are a winning combination in my book.
Whenever I'm asked to bring salad, which doesn't happen often as my friends and family usually assign me to baked goods, this is the first one I think of. Now I've given myself a craving.
So what about you? What's your go-to salad? Is there something you're always asked to bring when someone asks for a plate?
Recipe
Pesto pasta salad
Ingredients
- 500 g dried spiral pasta
- ½ cup pesto sauce (I made my own
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 200 g feta crumbled
- 1 small sweet potato diced and roasted
- 100 g rocket or baby spinach leaves
- ¼ cup toasted pinenuts optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
- Drain, leaving a little bit of water and transfer it to a big bowl.
- Stir through the pesto sauce and olive oil.
- Leave to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick together.
- Toss through the feta, sweet potato, rocket and pinenuts and chill until serving.
Nutrition
Alison says
Yep, I love a good pasta salad... and make one very similar to this - with pumpkin instead of sweet potato, and parmesan instead of feta. So good! ;)
Claire says
Yum Alison that sounds good too!
My Kitchen Stories says
A perfect salad for munching slowly. I always make something different because I get bored otherwise.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I'm so glad to hear you are looking after yourself. This salad would be my favourite. When I have a salad sitting in the fridge I can nibble on it all day long. :)
Claire says
Now to find the time to make it up!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
LOL at Celia's advice! That's good to know! I'd believe it too :P And good on you for being organised and doing dishes ahead of time. But we really love hearing about Baby C! :D
Claire says
Haha ok I will organise another post about him ASAP!
celia says
You DO know that you're burning up an extra 1000 calories a day breastfeeding, right? :) Well, that's what they told me 20 years ago, so I'm choosing to believe it. So keep eating, love, you need your energy! :) Sounds like you're having a wonderful time, I'm so glad you've still got time to put posts up. And I'd eat this dish in a heartbeat! xx
Claire says
I would love that to be true Celia! x
Hotly Spiced says
I saw this on FB. This is a gorgeous looking salad. I love pesto and I love pasta so this is fine by me. I agree with you that it has as lot of uses. Very handy to have a bowl of this in the fridge! xx
Claire says
Mmm pesto pasta! xx
Mel says
I see this along side a nice bit of grilled chicken on the babyQ.
When I had my babies people thought I was mad to cook every day but it was my down time. I love the kitchen and now love getting in there with a preschooler and a toddler, mess and all, and there is a lot of that, as well as some of our very own made up cooking songs. We must sound mad :D
Claire says
I know what you mean Mel. I love being in the kitchen. At the moment we're eating from the freezer for dinner but hopefully soon I'll be back!
Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine says
Claire, you've got everything I love in here. Please bring this when you come to my house :) Hope things are going well. Emery turns 1 next month. Enjoy every minute, it goes WAY too fast!! The up side to that is it keeps getting more fun!
Claire says
1?!?! How is she 1 already?!? it does go way too fast but I guess that's the trade off.
Glamorous Glutton says
Funny, I don't very often get asked to bring salad either. I usually get asked for dessert. My favourite salad at the moment has to be Greek salad with all that salty feta and lovely black olives. GG
Claire says
Ooh yes feta and olives are a good combo! x
Danielle says
For someone who doesn't really like salad you sure make a good one! This looks delicious and next time I am asked to bring a salad it will be this one. The homemade pesto will give extra kudos. My lazy go-to salad is rocket and parmesan, but this will make a nice change when something more filling is required. Hope you and bub are doing well.
Claire says
Thanks Danielle. Oh yes parmesan and rocket is a great idea.
The Life of Clare says
Go you for even finding the time to write! I love a good pasta salad!
Claire says
Thanks Clare!