Pesto Pasta Salad
Studded with bright green asparagus, sweet peas, decadent bacon, and fresh pearls of mozzarella, Pesto Pasta Salad is a flavorful side dish or light dinner, perfect for spring and summer celebrations!
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If you enjoy asparagus, you'll also love Springtime Asparagus Tart with Ham + Mushrooms, Asparagus Fries, and Classic Roasted Asparagus!
Last week, I got a hankering for pasta salad. It's a warm weather staple around here, and I don't think I've enjoyed it since last September. But I do believe it's high time to change that! Am I the only one who's way excited to say a definitive adios to winter?! I've been so enjoying the verdant green of spring, the bluebonnets and assorted beautiful wildflowers, the warm-but-not-yet-scalding temps, the copious amounts of allergy-inducing pollen, the return of the relentless mosquitos -- oh, wait a minute.
Anyway, I decided to concoct a new Pesto Pasta Salad recipe starring a few springtime ingredients that would carry right on through summer. And I'm so pleased with the way it turned out! Plus it was super-duper easy to throw together, and that's always a bonus.
How to Make it
Basically I boiled my pasta to al dente in plenty of salted water.
I threw in my fresh asparagus for the last couple of minutes until blanched bright green.
I cooked and drained my peas and roasted my bacon in the oven.
And then I tossed it all together with some fresh (albeit store-bought) pesto that I'd thinned with a bit of red wine vinegar and olive oil.
Simple, straightforward, and scrumptious!
The Pesto
Once the basil in my herb garden gets a-going, I can't wait to remake this recipe with homemade pesto.
For this version, I bought a tub of freshly made pesto in the refrigerated case of the grocery store.
I previously tried making this pasta salad with jarred pesto, and while it tasted just dandy, it wasn't as bright green as fresh pesto and, consequently, wasn't quite as pretty in the finished pasta salad.
Ways to Enjoy It
This would be the perfect side dish to celebrate spring or kick off the opening of grilling season.
It would also make a delicious light supper to enjoy while sitting outdoors on a warm, lovely evening.
In fact, it's so good it might even make you forget about your constant sneezing and those mosquitos about to carry you away... 😉
More Pasta Salads
- Caprese Orzo Salad
- Tortellini Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Basil, & Fresh Corn
- Chicken Berry Pasta Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Tomato Cucumber Pasta Salad with Avocado
Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces bacon, cooked until crispy, drained, & chopped
- 1 pound orecchiette, or other small pasta
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, thin spears, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces with tough ends trimmed off
- 2 cups frozen peas, cooked & drained
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls , drained
- 1 to 1 ½ cups (8 to 12-ounces) pesto, homemade or store-bought, fresh or jarred
- 2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add orecchiette and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, according to package directions. Three minutes before the pasta is done, add the asparagus pieces. Finish cooking until pasta is al dente and asparagus is blanched. Drain in a large colander and rinse until cool under cold water.
- Transfer pasta and asparagus to a very large bowl; add peas and mozzarella pearls. Transfer pesto to a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, to taste, and just enough extra-virgin olive oil to thin out the pesto to a dressing-like consistency. Pour pesto dressing over the pasta salad ingredients, gently toss ingredients to combine and coat, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Just before serving, stir in the bacon, reserving a bit to sprinkle over the top for garnish.
Notes
- My favorite method for cooking is bacon is oven roasting. Place an oven rack in the center position, preheat the oven to 400°F, and cover a large roasting pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Arrange the bacon pieces in a single layer so that they're just touching. Roast bacon for 15 to 20 minutes or until it's crispy (watch closely towards the end and keep in mind that thicker pieces of bacon may take longer to crisp up). Use tongs or a fork to remove bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
- If your asparagus is on the thicker side, you will probably want to add it to the boiling pasta 4 minutes before it's done.
- The asparagus tips will cook a bit quicker than the smooth sections of the spears. So if you prefer, you can add the smooth spear pieces to the boiling water first, and then toss in the tips for the last minute of cooking time.
- If you want more control over the cooking of your asparagus and don't mind dirtying another pot, you may boil your asparagus in a separate pot and then drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water once done.
- If you can't find small pearls of fresh mozzarella, you may buy larger balls and cut them in halves or quarters (or a whole piece of mozzarella cut into 1-inch cubes).
Hi Samantha! The Pesto Pasta salad was delicious. Super easy to make. Enjoyed for days!
Your recipes are amazing!
For a vegetarian option do you think semi sundried tomatoes would work in place of the bacon?
Hi Sandra! I think sundried tomatoes would be a great substitute for the bacon. 🙂
Transfer pesto to a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, to taste, and just enough extra-virgin olive oil to thin out the pesto to a dressing-like consistency.
It doesnt look like salad but it is very delicious. worth trying. Thanx for sharing
This looks absolute delicious. Don't usually like salads at all, but this made me give them one more try. One extra point for beautifully capturing it!
This was delicious l added sliced button mushrooms and water in place of the oil. Turned out great. Thank you 🙂
Oh, this is really delicious ! You’re right – it tastes great on everything! Was so tired of pesto and we have sooooo much basil!Thank you
Are you supposed to chill this? If so, for how long?
Hi Marisa! We usually eat this pasta salad right after I put it together. That being said, chilled leftovers are good, too. It's really up to you what you prefer! Just keep in mind that if you chill it, a lot of the dressing will be absorbed, so you might want to stir in some extra dressing just before serving. 🙂
I love everything about this salad. Everything!
Thank you, Rachel! It's got lots of my favorites in there as well... 😉
Up here in North Dakota, we haven't quite gotten to that lovely verdant green phase yet, but we are definitely ready for it!! I love that you added bacon to this salad. A great contrast to the sweet peas and so delicious with the asparagus. I can't wait to give this one a try!
You are so right, Erin...the salty bacon is a great contrast to the sweet peas and asparagus! 🙂 Hope you enjoy this one if you have a chance to try it!
This looks delicious, healthy, fresh, tasty, and like summer. I could add another 20 or so adjectives if it weren't so early in the morning. Suffice it to say, I'll be pinning! We are running a new link party - You Link It, We Make It! Every week, the hosts feature and make a recipe from those linked up. If you'd like, we'd love to have you link up with us!
Ha...I'm a fan of excessive adjectives as well, Kim! 😉 I appreciate the pin and the link party invite. Hope you're having a great week!