When I think of Summer, I think of pasta salad! It is an iconic summer cookout staple that I love so much. I think my favorite part about pasta salad is how versatile it is. You can make it creamy and rich, or keep it light and fresh like this! My pesto and sun-dried tomato pasta salad is going to be my go-to potluck item for this summer. Not only is it fresh, bright and delicious, but it can be made one or two days in advance and just gets better with time. This recipe is an absolute time saver without skimping on flavor. I promise that everyone who tries it will ask you for the recipe - NO DOUBT! Now go get cookin'!
Ingredients:
1 lb dry orzo pasta
1 cup (about 8 oz) of prepared pesto
½ red onion, finely diced
½ C sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 (14oz) can of artichoke hearts, drained
1 large handful of fresh arugula
Olive oil as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 C feta cheese crumbles (optional)
Directions:
Follow directions on the orzo packaging to boil the pasta until cooked through.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the remaining ingredients. Remove the artichoke hearts from the can and slice them into ½ inch pieces. Finely dice your red onion.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water out using a colander and place the drained, cooked pasta into a large mixing bowl.
Add pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped artichoke hearts and diced onion to the pasta. Stir until all ingredients are evenly coated in the pesto.
If the pasta salad looks too dry, add olive oil 1 tbsp at a time, stirring in between additions until the pasta salad reaches the desired consistency. Add feta cheese and fresh arugula and stir.
Taste the pasta salad and add salt and pepper as needed. Store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
NOTE: This recipe is great to make a day in advance. If you are doing this, follow steps 1-3, the store in the fridge until ready to serve. Finish steps 5-6 right before serving.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes + 30 minutes in the fridge
Servings: 5-6 servings
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