Main Dishes
Mediterranean Pesto Pasta
A super simple Mediterranean diet inspired vegan pesto pasta salad that is loaded with veggies and tossed in a dairy-free walnut pesto sauce. The perfect dish to bring to summer parties and cookouts!
Dish Type: Main Dish
Season: Summer
Yield: 16 Servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Ingredients
Vegan Walnut Pesto
- 1/3 cup EVO3 Olive Oil
- 1 cup baby arugula
- 1 cup fresh basil
- juice of one lemon
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts
Pasta Salad
- 1 Tablespoon EVO3 Olive Oil
- 1 pound rotini pasta
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh baby arugula
- 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Make pesto sauce by adding arugula, basil, oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt in the bowl of a food processor and processing until smooth. Add the walnuts and pulse until the walnuts are ground to desired consistency. Set aside.
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Cook pasta according to package instructions. Rinse with cool water and drain. Let pasta cool for about 5-10 minutes. Add pasta to a large salad bowl and toss with thawed peas, tomatoes, arugula toasted walnuts and olive oil. Add pesto, starting with ½ cup. Taste and add more pesto if you’d like. I like my noodles coated so I used all the pesto. Taste and season liberally with salt and pepper. Pasta salad can be served immediately, cold or at room temperature.
Enjoy!