Easy Peasy Pesto Pasta Salad

Cook your pasta according to package directions. If you don’t have spiral noodles, other bite sized noodles will work. While pasta cooks, prepare homemade pesto (see basic recipe below). If using store bought pesto, place in a large bowl with halved cherry tomatoes. Cube your mozzarella into small pieces and defrost a half a bag of frozen peas, add to bowl.

When pasta is finished cooking, drain and rinse with cold water. Mix cooked pasta with pesto, veggies and cheese and a few tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Chill in the refrigerator (or, let’s be honest, eat some before anyone sees you and THEN chill) for at least an hour. Serve.

Can also be made with grilled chicken pieces added. Yum!

Basic Pesto:

1 cup Basil, packed
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves of garlic, roasted
1/2 – 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 – 1 cup of grated Parmesan
Splash lemon juice

Add basil and pine nuts to blender or food processor and pulse until chopped. Add garlic and parmesan, pulse again. Stream olive oil and splash of lemon juice into food processor until mixture begins to mix around and combine completely. Use in the next few days, storing in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed down onto surface to avoid browning. To freeze, lay plastic wrap in an ice cube tray, fill with pesto, freeze, remove and place in a freezer bag. Each cube is roughly 1/4 c. of pesto.