Pasta Salads are one of my favorite things to make, not only because they’re really easy, but since they’re meant to be eaten cold it means eating the leftovers is even easier. I’ve been making this specific one for yearsssss and it’s truly one of my favorites. Packed with veggies and creamy pesto sauce, it really is so delicious & you’ll have a hard time not eating it all yourself. It’s incredibly easy so let’s get into it!
I’m really excited to announce that this recipe is in collaboration with Follow Your Heart! They’re one of my favorite brands, and I’ve gotten so many requests to make more recipes using their products from y’all, since they’re so accessible across the US. The products I used in this recipe are their Pesto Vegenaise (which is so fucking good), and their Parmesan Style Shreds. Trust me, they truly make this recipe special.
You can use really any veggies you want for this- bell peppers, summer squash, roma tomatoes, etc… but my favorite are asparagus, cherry tomatoes, red onion, zucchini, & garlic. Chop them all into bite sized chunks, but mince the garlic & leave the cherry tomatoes whole. In a large pan over medium heat, add in all of your veggies & oil, salt, and pepper and cook until slightly browned and tender. Place in a bowl in the fridge to cool down for at least 20 minutes.
Cook your pasta according to the package instructions. I used farfalle, but you can use any short / small pasta that you’d like. Drain & rinse with cold water to cool it down once cooked. Place the pasta back in the pot & add your veggies (and any juice in the pan) and stir to combine.
Once you have the pasta & veggies mixed, add in your pesto vegenaise, parmesan shreds, lemon juice, toasted pine nuts, and chopped fresh basil. Mix VERY well until combined, cover, and place in the fridge to cool down completely for at least an hour before serving (although this is best made a day in advance). When you serve the pasta salad, top with more parmesan shreds and fresh basil / toasted pine nuts if desired.
Once again, I just want to give a big thanks to Follow Your Heart for sponsoring this recipe and allowing me to share it with y’all! It’s truly delicious. As always, if you make this, make sure to tag me @plvntfood / #plvntfood and tag @followyourheart as well, so we can all see it! Love y’all with my cold little heart.
Pesto Primavera Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is full of the fresh flavors of summer, and is packed with a bunch of veggies! It's sure to be a hit at any party or potluck. And it's vegan!
Ingredients
- 1 pound short pasta of your choosing I used farfalle
- 1 cup Follow Your Heart Pesto Vegenaise
- 3/4 cup fresh basil
- 1 cup Follow Your Heart shredded vegan parmesan more for topping
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 bunch green asparagus
- 1-2 medium zucchini
- 1 red onion
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- Salt / pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
Instructions
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Cook your pasta according to package instructions, drain & rinse with cold water. Toss with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking & place in the fridge to cool.
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Chop all of your veggies (except the tomatoes, leave those whole) into bite sized chunks. Add your olive oil to a large pan over medium heat & add them all to the pan with salt / pepper to taste. Cook until slightly browned, and allow to cool fully.
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Once your pasta and veggies are completely cooled (best to do these the night before and keep in the fridge overnight), add them to a bowl with your pesto vegenaise, chopped fresh basil, shredded vegan parmesan, lemon juice, and toasted pine nuts. Mix well.
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Top with additional pine nuts, basil and parmesan if desired. Serve cold.
