Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
This pesto pasta salad recipe may take some extra effort, but it’ll be worth it. It’s rich, buttery, savory, and slightly smoky— simply amazing.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 241kcal
Ingredients
- 0.4 oz cashew nuts raw
- 0.4 oz spinach fresh, leaves only
- 0.7 oz fresh basil
- 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1/4 tsp salt divided
- 2 tsp garlic divided, minced
- 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese divided
- 3 oz dry rotini pasta
- 3.5 oz raw shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp thyme fresh
- 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 0.5 oz onions diced
- 2 oz cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1.2 oz red bell peppers diced
- 1.2 oz black olives pitted, sliced
Instructions
- Roast the cashew nuts: in a dry skillet, add cashews and cook on medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Blanch the spinach: bring a pot of water to a boil. Add spinach and blanch for 1 minute. Remove spinach from the pot. Rinse under running water until no longer hot. Drain and squeeze well to extract all the water out. Set aside.
- Make pesto sauce: in the bowl of a food processor, combine spinach, basil, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/8 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic, 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese, and cashew nuts. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta: bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions (ours took 8 minutes.) Drain and set aside.
- Season and sear the shrimp: in a skillet, heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil and unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, thyme, 1/8 tsp salt, and onion. Sear the shrimp for 2 minutes per side. Once the shrimp turn pink around the edges, flip, add 1 tsp minced garlic, and cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat and transfer to a plate once cooked through.
- Mix the salad: in a large mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, pasta, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, canned olives, and pesto sauce. Mix well to coat the sauce evenly.
- Serve: transfer the salad to a serving platter. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese on top and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 313mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1043IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg