A picnic without a pasta salad is like a picnic without a picnic blanket; you can do it, sure, but doesn’t it just feel wrong? And if you’re going to make a pasta salad, it’s best to make an amazing one, right? Picnic Pesto Salad is that amazing pasta salad, with its Greek-inspired blend of tangy olives and artichokes, sharp and creamy feta cheese, juicy grape tomatoes, and of course, tender pasta. For a summery flair, the pasta is dressed in an herbaceous pesto dressing that’s light and refreshing and just a joy! When you lay out the luncheon spread under your favorite picnic tree, this Picnic Pesto Salad should be front and center!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fusilli or rotini
- 3/4 cup pesto
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 (8.5-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- 8 ounces feta cheese, cubed
- 1 small cucumber, chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
Directions
Step 1 –In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the fusilli to al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 2 –Drain the fusilli and rinse it under cold water.
Step 3 –Allow the fusilli to dry slightly.
Step 4 –While the fusilli cooks, whisk the pesto with the olive oil, the vinegar, the salt, and the pepper in a small bowl.
Step 5 –In another bowl, toss the fusilli with 4-5 tablespoons of the pesto dressing.
Step 6 –Taste the salad and season with the salt.
Step 7 –Add the artichoke hearts, the feta, the cucumber, the tomatoes, and the olives to the salad.
Step 8 –Spoon the remaining dressing all over the top of the salad and gently toss to combine.
Step 9 –Serve.
