Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta Salad
Try this Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 red pepper chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 green pepper chopped
- 1 cup basil pesto
- juice and zest from 1 lemon
- additional juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 lb bowtie pasta
- 1 lb fresh asparagus
- 1 can quartered artichoke hearts drained
- 2 cups julienned sundried tomatoes in oil drained
- Carbohydrate 28.8597698057813 g
- Cholesterol 33.11224301 mg
- Fat 1.80486653541015 g
- Fiber 1.93260394185732 g
- Protein 6.73997191873816 g
- Saturated Fat 0.268189492161696 g
- Serving Size 1 1 side dish serving (118g)
- Sodium 26.1151863607196 mg
- Sugar 26.927165863924 g
- Trans Fat 0.400048779933071 g
- Calories 156 calories
Step-by-step
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together until smooth.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside in large bowl.
- Blanch asparagus for 40-45 seconds. Remove immediately and plunge into ice water, then drain on paper towels.
- Chop cooled asparagus into one inch pieces and add to pasta.
- Add drained artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes and peppers to pasta.
- Add dressing and stir gently until well mixed.
Undercooking the pasta or failing to shock the asparagus immediately guarantees a mushy, waterlogged dish instead of a crisp, vibrant side. Achieving proper textural contrast requires shocking the asparagus in ice water for precisely 45 seconds to halt residual cooking and preserve cell walls. Bowtie pasta benefits from a boiling salted pot until al dente, yielding a firm bite that withstands heavy dressings without disintegrating. Standard olive oil emulsions separate over time, but incorporating basil pesto helps bind the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice into a stable coating. Sundried tomatoes and marinated artichoke hearts add concentrated umami, though draining them thoroughly prevents excess oil from diluting the dressing.
Storage and Make-Ahead Protocols
Preparing this dish up to 24 hours in advance allows the garlic, shallot, and lemon zest to infuse fully into the pasta starch. Storing dressed pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator works well for up to three days, but freezing is discouraged because thawed cell walls release water and ruin the texture of fresh herbs and tender vegetables. Revive chilled pasta salads by leaving the container on the counter for 15 minutes to take the chill off the oil, then fold in two tablespoons of warm water to loosen the starch.
- Plunge blanched asparagus into water at 32 degrees Fahrenheit to instantly lock in bright green color.
- Whisk minced garlic and shallots into the extra virgin olive oil ten minutes before mixing to mellow their sharp raw bite.
- Drain sundried tomatoes through a fine-mesh sieve for at least five minutes to remove surplus packing oil.
