This Mediterranean Pesto Pasta Salad is a fresh and flavorful dish that brings the essence of the Mediterranean to your table. Tender pasta is tossed with tangy marinated artichoke hearts, flavorful tomatoes, and briny olives, all coated in a rich, herby basil walnut pesto. Whether served chilled or at room temperature, it’s a perfect side or light main course for warm-weather meals, picnics, or easy weeknight dinners. Packed with texture, color, and bold flavor in every bite, it’s as beautiful as it is satisfying.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe
Yields: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
For the Pesto:
2 c fresh basil (loosely packed)
1 large garlic clove, chopped
2/3 c walnut pieces, roughly chopped
Pro Tip: try toasting your walnuts by placing them into medium-low heat cast-iron pan for 5-10 minutes. Pay attention to the nutty aroma as the walnuts heat-up. Use wooden spoon to stir and evenly toast. Once evenly toasted, set-aside to cool.
1/2 c grated parmesan
1/2 tsp ground sea salt
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
For the Pasta Salad:
1/2 lb dried pasta (I’m using Fusilli)
2 small fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c Greek olives, cut in halves (example olives: Kalamata, Castelvetrano, Manzanilla, Arbequina, and Picholine)
6 oz artichoke hearts (jarred in water), cut into halves or quarters
Instructions
For the Pesto:
- Place all ingredients besides the olive oil into food processor. Using chop setting, pulse to combine the ingredients (about 1 minute)
- Using the the “drizzle spout” on the food processor, gradually add olive oil to the mixture while pulsing to combine (scrape-down sides, as needed, to ensure even consistency)
- Set pesto aside
For the Pasta Salad:
- Cook pasta according to product’s direction (I recommend Al dente for best texture)
- Place cooked/warm pasta into large mixing bowl. Option to set aside some pasta water for mixing, as needed.
- Add about 1/2 the pesto and stir until combined. Ensure the pasta is still warm to help evenly coat the noodles. You can add a few tablespoons of pasta water to help evenly coat pasta, as needed.
- Add tomatoes, olives, and artichokes to the pasta and stir to combine
- Stir in additional pesto to the pasta salad until all ingredients are evenly coated, as needed. Store any remaining pesto in air-tight jar in fridge. (Tip: use extra pesto on sandwiches or toast. Yum!)
- Pasta salad is ready to serve!
Store remaining pasta salad in airtight container in fridge for 3-5 days for optimal freshness.
Mediterranean Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- For the Pesto:
- 2 c fresh basil (loosely packed)
- 1 large garlic clove, chopped
- 2/3 c walnut pieces, roughly chopped
- Pro Tip: try toasting your walnuts by placing them into medium-low heat cast-iron pan for 5-10 minutes. Pay attention to the nutty aroma as the walnuts heat-up. Use wooden spoon to stir and evenly toast. Once evenly toasted, set-aside to cool.
- 1/2 c grated parmesan
- 1/2 tsp ground sea salt
- 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
- For the Pasta Salad:
- 1/2 lb dried pasta (I'm using Fusilli)
- 2 small fresh tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 c Greek olives, cut in halves (example olives: Kalamata, Castelvetrano, Manzanilla, Arbequina, and Picholine)
- 6 oz artichoke hearts (jarred in water), cut into halves or quarters
Instructions
For the Pesto:
- Place all ingredients besides the olive oil into food processor. Using chop setting, pulse to combine the ingredients (about 1 minute)
- Using the the "drizzle spout" on the food processor, gradually add olive oil to the mixture while pulsing to combine (scrape-down sides, as needed, to ensure even consistency)
- Set pesto aside
For the Pasta Salad:
- Cook pasta according to product's direction (I recommend Al dente for best texture)
- Place cooked/warm pasta into large mixing bowl. Option to set aside some pasta water for mixing, as needed.
- Add about 1/2 the pesto and stir until combined. Ensure the pasta is still warm to help evenly coat the noodles. You can add a few tablespoons of pasta water to help evenly coat pasta, as needed.
- Add tomatoes, olives, and artichokes to the pasta and stir to combine
- Stir in additional pesto to the pasta salad until all ingredients are evenly coated, as needed. Store any remaining pesto in air-tight jar in fridge. (Tip: use extra pesto on sandwiches or toast. Yum!)
- Pasta salad is ready to serve!
Store remaining pasta salad in airtight container in fridge for 3-5 days for optimal freshness.
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