Description
This Green Goddess Pesto Pasta Salad is a vibrant and fresh dish featuring gemelli pasta tossed with creamy basil pesto and mayo, combined with nutritious asparagus, peas, chickpeas, and toasted pine nuts. It’s a perfect make-ahead salad for gatherings or a light meal that bursts with herbaceous flavor and crunchy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 lb DeLallo Gemelli Pasta, cooked according to package instructions
Dressing
- 6.35 ounce jar DeLallo Simply Pesto Basil Pesto
- 1/2 cup Real Mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Vegetables and Add-ins
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, cooked according to package instructions
- 2 cups steamed asparagus, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chickpeas, drained
- 3/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the gemelli pasta according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare Dressing: While the pasta cooks, mix together the basil pesto and mayonnaise in a bowl until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
- Combine Salad: In a large mixing bowl, add the warm pasta, pesto mayo dressing, sea salt, cooked peas, chopped steamed asparagus, chickpeas, and pine nuts. Toss everything together thoroughly to combine all the ingredients evenly.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the pasta salad with fresh chopped chives for a bright finishing touch. Serve immediately or chill before serving to enhance flavors.
Notes
- You can substitute the gemelli pasta with other short pasta shapes such as fusilli or penne.
- For a vegan version, use vegan mayonnaise instead of regular mayonnaise.
- The pine nuts can be lightly toasted to enhance their flavor before adding.
- This salad holds well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, making it ideal for meal prep or parties.
- Adjust salt to taste depending on the saltiness of the pesto used.
