This Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad is light, flavorful, and it can be ready on the table in under 30 minutes. Greek yogurt and mayo make it extra creamy, while basil pesto brings all the flavor. You can serve it as a side during grilling season or for lunch. It stores really well, so it's great for meal prep!
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Why You'll Love This Pesto Pasta Salad
No more dry pasta salads - Forget bland pasta salads that are either too oily or too dry. This one combines flavorful pesto and a mix of Greek yogurt and mayo, which creates the creamiest dressing that isn't heavy. You can even make it vegan and gluten-free if you prefer!
Easy and simple - All you need to do is boil your pasta, chop a few veggies, and stir the dressing. There are no complicated ingredients or too many steps. It's very straightforward and totally fail-proof. The salad can be on the table in less than 30 minutes!
Great for the summer - When you want to make pasta in the summer but don't want to stand above a hot stove making complicated sauces, or you're craving something more refreshing when it's hot outside, pasta salads are your best friend! They're filling and comforting but still light and fresh enough to be served in the heat.
Ingredients
- Pasta - You can use practically any small or medium pasta shape. In the photos, I used cavatappi, but fusilli, rotini, or farfalle (bow ties) are also great and the most common shapes.
- Vegetables - I'm adding diced bell peppers, red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, and corn. You could also add roasted veggies like zucchini, eggplant, asparagus, peas, or even edamame.
- Feta - You can use other cheeses like mozzarella, but I like feta because it's salty and savory, which complements the mild flavor of pasta really well. I always recommend using block feta and rinsing it before crumbling it. Pre-crumbled feta is drier and has unnecessary additives.
- Olives - I add Kalamata olives, but any olives you like work. They add saltiness and umami flavor. I recommend rinsing them to remove some of the saltiness.
- Pesto - You can use store-bought pesto to save time (I often do) or make your own. Always check the label and buy pesto that's made with olive oil, rather than seed oils, whenever possible.
- Greek yogurt - This is what makes the pesto sauce so creamy. Look for full-fat Greek yogurt or a really good creamy vegan yogurt.
- Mayonnaise - I also add a little bit of mayonnaise to add even more creaminess, flavor, and to thicken the dressing a little bit. You can just add more yogurt, but I highly recommend mayo because it makes it less tangy. I recommend either olive oil or avocado oil mayonnaise.
- Garlic - Don't be afraid to add raw garlic here, even if you don't usually like it. One clove is all you need for a ton of flavor, and it's not strong at all! You can always use garlic powder instead, but I highly recommend fresh garlic.
Variations and Substitutions
- Mozzarella - You can add fresh mozzarella pearls instead of feta cheese. Both bocconcini and perlini would be great here. If you use bocconcini, I recommend slicing them in half.
- Add greens - You can add chopped baby spinach, baby arugula, mixed greens, or chopped romaine lettuce to make the salad lighter. You could also add fresh herbs like fresh basil, parsley, or chives for more flavor.
- Pine nuts - Stovetop toasted pine nuts would be a great addition to this salad. They add a little crunch, but they're creamier than other nuts and go really well with the pesto sauce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water to al dente, according to package instructions. If you use frozen corn, you can cook it for 1-2 minutes in the boiling water before you add the pasta.
- Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water to avoid it cooking further, and add it to a large bowl.
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- Add halved cherry tomatoes, diced bell peppers, chopped red onion, Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and chives to the cooked pasta.
- In a separate bowl or a jar, whisk together pesto, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and grated garlic.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is combined and well-coated with the dressing.
- Serve the salad with more chives, some freshly ground black pepper, and lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks!
- Don't overcook or undercook your pasta - You want it to be al dente, just right. If you overcook it, the salad can turn mushy, and if you undercook it, it will be unpleasant to chew.
- Don't wait for the pasta to be completely cold - You don't want the pasta to be hot when you're adding yogurt and mayo, but if you mix everything while the pasta is slightly warm, it will absorb the dressing better.
- Let it rest - Ideally, you should allow the pasta salad to chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes so it can cool down and soak up all the flavors.
Serving and Storing
You can serve this salad right away or store it in the fridge for an hour or so if you want to serve it colder. You can store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
The pasta will soak up some of the dressing as it sits, but this salad actually stores really well, so it's great for meal prep or whenever you need something prepped ahead. It's perfect for potlucks or picnics! Just make sure it's always in a cooler and not in the sun because of the added mayo and yogurt.
The salad makes a great side dish for BBQ, anything from the grill, roasted chicken, salmon, or other meats. It's filling enough to be served for lunch or a light dinner on its own. You could also add cooked chickpeas or edamame beans for extra protein.
FAQs
Sometimes, it just needs a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten all the flavors. You can also add sea salt or freshly ground black pepper. If you want spice, add a splash of hot sauce. I also like to mix in some chili crunch sauce.
You can use gluten-free pasta and vegan mayo, dairy-free yogurt, and vegan feta if you prefer.
Other Vegetarian Pasta Salads
Pasta salads are my favorite during the summer when I don't know what to make or when I'm trying to meal prep. Below are four of my favorite veggie-packed pasta salads similar to this one you should try! To see other pasta salads and all the latest ones, head over to Salads.
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Print📖 Recipe
Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3-6 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad is light, flavorful, and it can be ready on the table in under 30 minutes. Serve it as a side during grilling season or for lunch. It's perfect for spring and summer. It stores really well, so it's great for meal prep!
Ingredients
- 4 cups dry pasta (bowtie pasta, penne, rotini, macaroni, or any similar small shape)
- 1 cup raw or cooked corn kernels
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- 2-4 tablespoon finely chopped chives or parsley (optional)
- ¼ cup pesto
- 2 tbsp full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise (or more yogurt, I use avocado oil mayo)
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, grated
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions. If you use frozen corn, you can blanche it for 1-2 minutes in the boiling water before you add the pasta.
- Drain and rinse the pasta, and add it to a large mixing bowl.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes, diced bell peppers, chopped red onion, Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and chives.
- In a separate bowl or a jar, whisk together pesto, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and grated garlic.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is combined and well-coated with the dressing.
- Serve with more chives, some freshly ground black pepper, and some lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Notes
Storing: Store the pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
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Veronika Sykorova says
The dressing for the salad is made lighter by adding Greek yogurt and the pesto brings all the flavor. You'll love this recipe!