Pasta Salad with Peas and Pesto Recipe

By
Jennifer Segal
Jennifer Segal is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Jennifer Segal

Jennifer Segal is the chef and photographer behind Once Upon a Chef and the author of two cookbooks: Once Upon a Chef and Once Upon A Chef: Weeknight/Weekend.

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Updated Aug. 30, 2018
2012-04-11-pasta-salad-peas-pesto-primary.jpg
Jenniger Segal

Fresh herb pesto makes a flavorful dressing for a springy pasta salad studded with green peas. Chopped walnuts add delicious crunch and fresh lemon juice brightens it up.

Recipe Facts

5

(1)

Active: 20 mins
Total: 20 mins
Serves: 4 servings

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Ingredients

For the Pesto:

  • 1 cup packed fresh basil or mint (or combination), plus more for garnish

  • 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped (about 2 teaspoons)

  • 1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano

  • 3 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts or pine nuts, plus more for garnish

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1-2 lemons

  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad:

  • 1/2 pound (8 ounces) gemelli pasta, cooked, drained and cooled

  • 8 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) frozen green peas, thawed

Directions

  1. To make the pesto, combine the herbs, garlic, cheese, nuts, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse several times until finely chopped. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then set aside.

  2. In a large bowl, combine the pasta and peas. Add the pesto little by little until salad is adequately dressed. Season to taste with salt, pepper and more lemon juice. Garnish salad with chopped nuts and chopped herbs, if desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
379 Calories
26g Fat
29g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 379
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 33%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 6mg 2%
Sodium 486mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 11%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 12mg 58%
Calcium 96mg 7%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 192mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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