The perfect side for outdoor barbecues.
Sweet sun-dried tomatoes, fresh pesto, luscious Greek yogurt are tossed with pasta to create a salad that is so scrumptious, it may just become a favorite. A classic pesto, made with fresh basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts blends with yogurt to coat the pasta perfectly.
Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad can be made ahead and taken to lunch or served as a side with a dinner entrée, such as:
Delicious Blackened Sockeye Salmon
Baked Parmesan ChickenJuicy Faux Fried Chicken
Barbecue Grilled Chicken Breasts
Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is easy to make and tastes scrumptious with sun-dried tomatoes and a creamy pesto sauce.
Yield 8 people
Serving Size 1 cup
Ingredients
- 12 ounces whole-wheat rotini pasta optional penne or ziti
- 1 cup Greek yogurt low-fat, plain (I used 2% which is reflected in the nutritional data)
- 1/2 cup pesto click for Basil & Spinach Pesto recipe
- 3/4 cups sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil and drained, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, rinse with cold water and chill. Combine yogurt with pesto, add to cold pasta and toss to coat. Add sun-dried tomatoes and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Add fresh basil leaves for garnish.
Notes
We prefer to serve our pasta salad immediately or soon after preparing because the olive oil, in the pesto, tends to get thick after several hours in the fridge.
Tip: When chopping sun-dried tomatoes, discard the ends which tend to be tough.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 97mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g |
SmartPoints (Freestyle): 6
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Made this tonight! Added extra veggies for some crunch! Love it! Thanks.
is it possible to make this with gluten free (brown rice) pasta?
Yes, you sure can.
how long will this last in the fridge? 🙂
Want to make it ahead for christmas!
Great question, Ana! I would only keep this in the fridge for 4 or 5 days. Sometimes the Greek yogurt can become watery if it sits too long. However, you could cook the pasta ahead of time and mix all the ingredients together when you’re ready to serve!
I made this and added olives and a little sour cream, delicous.