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Home Recipes Side Dishes Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

by Jennifer Debth March 29, 2017
16 Comments
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This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

This simple Pesto Pasta Salad is loaded with pasta shells, fresh pesto, salty bacon, crumbly feta, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy cashews! 

bowl of pesto pasta saladPesto lovers.

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This one’s for you.

And I gotta say . . .

it’s a really good one.

Let me introduce you all, to what I am confident is going to be your newest spring obsession:

Pesto Pasta Salad.

pesto pasta salad above

Spring and summer, to me, mean #allthepastasalads.

They’re my FAVORITE.

Who would’ve thought cold pasta could be so darn delicious?

This Pesto Pasta Salad recipe was born, because I was seriously craving some of my cilantro pesto.

Now wait.

Cilantro haters, you can totally use basil pesto instead. 🙂

But cilantro lovers, rejoice, because the cilantro pesto is seriously delicious in this recipe.

Once you have the pesto made – cilantro, garlic, cashews, lime juice, parm, salt, and oil <– blend it up in your food processor. Easy. Peasy – this dish comes together really fast.

closeup of pesto pasta saladBoil pasta. Small shells, please! Aren’t they cute?!

Cook bacon. Are you drooling yet?

Dice tomatoes. Sooo fresh.

Assemble: stir pasta, tomatoes, crumbled feta, bacon, cashews, and pesto together. Thin it out, if necessary, with pasta water.

Now the hard part.

Let it chill.

I mean. You COULD serve it warm-ish or at room temperature, but it’s super delicious when it’s cold.

Tender pasta with juicy tomatoes, crispy bacon, salty feta, crunchy cashews, and the most amazing, fresh, and delicious pesto?

pesto pasta salad in bowlWho’s ready for spring?!

– Jennifer

This simple Pesto Pasta Salad is loaded with pasta shells, fresh pesto, salty bacon, crumbly feta, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy cashews! showmetheyummy.com

Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

This simple Pesto Pasta Salad is loaded with pasta shells, fresh pesto, salty bacon, crumbly feta, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy cashews!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 12 people
Print Pin Rate Recipe

Equipment for this recipe

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Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1 (16 oz) box small shells cooked, reserve at least 2 cups cooking liquid
  • 1 (10 oz) container cherry tomatoes diced or quartered
  • 1 (4 oz) container crumbled feta
  • 4-6 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup roasted cashews*
  • 1 batch Cilantro Pesto
  • salt to taste

Recipe Video

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, stir all ingredients together until well combined.
  • Thin out with pasta water, if necessary.
  • Cover and chill until ready to serve.
  • Taste and re-season, if necessary, and serve! (After chilling, you may need to thin out with more pasta water, so make sure you save it!)
  • Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!
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STORING
Room Temp:N/A
Refrigerator:3-5 Days
Freezer:N/A
*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions

Notes

*To roast cashews: preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place cashews on an unlined, rimmed baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven until cashews are fragrant and golden, about 4-8 minutes. Stir halfway through to avoid burnt spots.

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Sauces & Dressings
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Side Dishes
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Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 329 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 353mg15%
Potassium 205mg6%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 570IU11%
Vitamin C 5.4mg7%
Calcium 94mg9%
Iron 1.4mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.

Keywords: cilantro pesto, healthy, pasta shells
Enjoy this recipe?
Tag @showmetheyummy on Instagram and hashtag it #showmetheyummy
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Author: Jennifer Debth

Filed Under: Recipes, Side Dishes

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  1. Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

    April 1, 2017 at 8:01 am

    Aww thank you!
    Reply
  2. Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

    April 1, 2017 at 8:01 am

    Thanks so much Heather!
    Reply
  3. Madi

    March 31, 2017 at 5:03 pm

    I think this is going to be my new favorite pasta salad! 🙂
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      April 1, 2017 at 8:01 am

      Thanks Madi!
  4. Liz

    March 30, 2017 at 6:21 am

    Pesto and pasta are the perfect couple!!! I don’t think I can wait until summer to make this winner!
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      March 30, 2017 at 7:54 am

      Aww thank you Liz!
  5. Cheryl

    March 29, 2017 at 6:51 pm

    Pesto pasta salads are a summer favorite around this house!
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      March 30, 2017 at 6:11 am

      Here too! 🙂
  6. Kristen

    March 29, 2017 at 11:16 am

    Pretty sure I just found my new Spring obsession 🙂
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      March 29, 2017 at 11:36 am

      Aww thank you!!

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