Easy Pesto Pasta Salad with Veggies

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Easypesto pasta saladis loaded with veggies and white beans for a delicious cold side dish for parties and potluck meals. Top it with parmesan cheese and fresh basil for a dish that’s colorful and inviting.

table set with large bowl of rotini pasta salad, plates, and cheese bowl, overhead.

This recipe is perfect forbackyard bbq parties, potlucks, andtailgatingorgame day parties. It’s a greatsummer side dishfor cookouts orrustic dinner party menustoo.

Pasta Salad with Vegetables

You’re going to love this veggie pesto pasta salad. It’s delicious and it’s packed with healthy ingredients like bell peppers, white beans, and whole wheat pasta. Plus tons of flavor from sundried tomatoes, parmesan and pesto!

This is a great salad for summer parties because it’s made with pesto instead of a creamy base. Most everyone I know loves pesto so this is a real crowd pleaser!

It’s amake-ahead recipefor easy hosting or planning. Mix it up the night before or the morning before a party, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

close up detail of rotini pasta with red and yellow pepper strips, white beans, cheese, and basil in pesto sauce.

Key Ingredients

This recipe is so simple and the ingredients are easy to find.

Pasta.I use whole wheat for extra nutrition. Rotini pasta works well for this salad because the spirals hold on to the pesto. Other varieties to try are penne, bowties, or elbows.
Vegetables.Colorful bell peppers add color and crunch and go well with the pesto. I also use sundried tomatoes which add a bit of sweetness and compliment the basil flavor.
Beans.White navy beans or cannellini beans give this dish a meaty bite and makes this a good recipe for vegetarians. If you want to make it vegan you can eliminate the Parmesan cheese on top.
Pesto.I use a jar of prepared pesto sauce for this recipe. It makes it easy and convenient to make any time of year. Use your favorite brand or make your own if that’s your jam.

cooked rotini pasta and red and yellow pepper strips in large strainer.

How to Make It

的一件事使这道菜如此简单的我s that youcombine two steps into one. You’ll quickly cook the bell peppers just so they are tender with a firm bite.

Follow the package directions tocook the pasta AL DENTE.
You’re going to add the pepper strips into the boiling waterduring the last minuteof pasta cooking time.
Drain and rinse the beansusing a strainer and running it under warm water. This gets rid of the extra sodium added in the canning process.
Remove the sundried tomatoes from the jar andpat them with a paper towelto remove excess oil; then cut them into strips.
Finally, combine the pesto with all the ingredients and mix well.Cover and refrigerateso all the flavors have time to marry and develop. Give it one more stir before serving.

The addition of beans adds a bit of protein and fiber to balance out the nutrition. Plus, the wheat pasta and fresh vegetables adds even more!

large white bowl of pesto pasta salad with basil on top.

HOSTESS TIP:Add in some roasted shredded chicken to turn this into a meat packed entrée for a ladies luncheon.

More Pasta Salad Recipes

Mycreamy pasta salad recipeis a family favorite.
Thispasta salad with brocolli & peanutshas a Thai flavor twist that’s irresistible.
Mycold Thai noodle salad with shrimpis packed with FANTASTIC flavors and textures. Make it with or without the shrimp to serve as an entrée or a side dish.
Another crowd favorite is theAsian noodle saladwith peanut sauce.
奖金,如果你喜欢切辣椒this recipe you may love them in thismarinated green bean saladtoo.

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Veggie Pesto Pasta Salad

Yield: 10 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours20 minutes

Add this easy and delicious pesto pasta salad to your list of side dishes for entertaining. You get lots of texture, flavor, and even veggies in this pasta salad recipe.

Ingredients

3 cups Pasta (rotini, penne, farfalle or elbows)
1 EACH red and yellow bell peppers, cut into strips
15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, cut into strips
7 ounce jar prepared pesto
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions.
When there is 1 minute left on the cooking time, add the peppers to the boiling pasta and cook for the remaining minute.
Drain pasta and peppers in a large colander and let cool slightly.
Transfer to a large serving bowl and toss in beans and sundried tomatoes. Add pesto and mix well to combine.
Stir in cheese, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving so flavors can develop.
Sprinkle with fresh basil when ready to serve.