Pesto Veggie Burgers with Balsamic Aioli

We’ve done veggie burgers and pesto separately, but together? Our only regret is not trying it sooner! Herby, savory chickpea burgers join with sliced tomato, arugula, and a creamy, bright balsamic aioli for a major dose of YUM!
Just 30 minutes require…

Pesto Veggie Burgers with Balsamic Aioli

We’ve done veggie burgers and pesto separately, but together? Our only regret is not trying it sooner! Herby, savory chickpea burgers join with sliced tomato, arugula, and a creamy, bright balsamic aioli for a major dose of YUM!

Just 30 minutes required for this satisfying plant-based main perfect for summer BBQs or a quick weeknight meal! Let us show you how it’s done!

These pesto chickpea patties begin with mashing chickpeas until there are only a few large pieces remaining.

Pesto Veggie Burgers with Balsamic Aioli from Minimalist Baker →

5-Ingredient Pesto Ravioli

I love a quick and easy weeknight meal and often turn to pasta when we are in a rush to get dinner on the table. A few favorites include: Spaghetti Carbonara, 5-Ingredient Spinach Parmesan Pasta, Stovetop Mac and Cheese, and Cacio e Pepe. I also love m…

I love a quick and easy weeknight meal and often turn to pasta when we are in a rush to get dinner on the table. A few favorites include: Spaghetti Carbonara, 5-Ingredient Spinach Parmesan Pasta, Stovetop Mac and Cheese, and Cacio e Pepe. I also love making this Pesto Ravioli because it only takes 15…

Easy Pesto Pasta Bowls with Crispy Tofu & Veggies

Consider dinner plans sorted thanks to this new weeknight-friendly pasta with pesto-seasoned crispy baked tofu and veggies! Made with simple methods in under an hour, it’s the perfect combination of comfort, ease, nourishment, and FLAVOR.
Just 7 ingred…

Easy Pesto Pasta Bowls with Crispy Tofu & Veggies

Consider dinner plans sorted thanks to this new weeknight-friendly pasta with pesto-seasoned crispy baked tofu and veggies! Made with simple methods in under an hour, it’s the perfect combination of comfort, ease, nourishment, and FLAVOR.

Just 7 ingredients required for this crowd-pleasing, plant-based meal. Let us show you how it’s done!

First came the pesto tofu and now come the pesto tofu BOWLS! But instead of the tofu cooking on its own, it now has some friends in the form of cherry tomatoes and shallots.

Easy Pesto Pasta Bowls with Crispy Tofu & Veggies from Minimalist Baker →

Crispy Baked Pesto Tofu (5 Ingredients!)

Ever since discovering the BEST method for crispy oven-baked tofu, we’ve been dreaming up other recipes using the same technique. Enter this PESTO variation that’s full of herby, savory goodness. It’s our new favorite! 
Made with just 5 ingredient…

Crispy Baked Pesto Tofu (5 Ingredients!)

Ever since discovering the BEST method for crispy oven-baked tofu, we’ve been dreaming up other recipes using the same technique. Enter this PESTO variation that’s full of herby, savory goodness. It’s our new favorite! 

Made with just 5 ingredients, this versatile plant-based protein is perfect for topping pasta (recipe coming soon), risotto, polenta, and more. Let us show you how it’s done!

How to Make Crispy Pesto Tofu

This 1-pan pesto tofu begins with a couple of our favorite hacks for super crispy tofu with minimal effort:

  • Use high protein, super firm tofu to skip the need to press out any excess moisture.

Crispy Baked Pesto Tofu (5 Ingredients!) from Minimalist Baker →

Fluffy Gluten-Free Gnocchi (4 Ingredients!)

Soft, FLUFFY, and light, yet sturdy? We’re not talking about your favorite pillow. Behold: gluten-free gnocchi that are just as DREAMY, but you definitely don’t want to sleep on these!
Perfect for a cozy night in, fun date night, or family activity, an…

Fluffy Gluten-Free Gnocchi (4 Ingredients!)

Soft, FLUFFY, and light, yet sturdy? We’re not talking about your favorite pillow. Behold: gluten-free gnocchi that are just as DREAMY, but you definitely don’t want to sleep on these!

Perfect for a cozy night in, fun date night, or family activity, and just as fun to make as they are to eat. Grab 4 simple ingredients and get your water boiling!

What is Gnocchi?

Gnocchi (pronounced nyo-key) is often associated with pasta, since (like pasta) it originated in Italy and is usually eaten as part of the primi course in traditional Italian meals.

Fluffy Gluten-Free Gnocchi (4 Ingredients!) from Minimalist Baker →

Pesto “Parmesan” Turkey Meatballs (Dairy & Egg-Free!)

These turkey meatballs? They’re the real deal, friends! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and super flavorful thanks to dairy-free pesto and “parmesan”! Plus, they’re simple to make (just 9 ingredients) and freezer-friendly. OH yes, winners …

Pesto “Parmesan” Turkey Meatballs (Dairy & Egg-Free!)

These turkey meatballs? They’re the real deal, friends! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and super flavorful thanks to dairy-free pesto and “parmesan”! Plus, they’re simple to make (just 9 ingredients) and freezer-friendly. OH yes, winners all around!

They’re perfect for meal prep and suitable for our friends who are sensitive to dairy, gluten, or eggs.

Pesto “Parmesan” Turkey Meatballs (Dairy & Egg-Free!) from Minimalist Baker →

Roasted Tomatoes with Burrata

When our garden is bursting with tomatoes, I make all of the tomato recipes I can because garden tomatoes are the BEST and I want to use them ALL. No tomato gets left behind:) I love making bruschetta, tomato salad, pico de gallo, caprese pasta salad, …

When our garden is bursting with tomatoes, I make all of the tomato recipes I can because garden tomatoes are the BEST and I want to use them ALL. No tomato gets left behind:) I love making bruschetta, tomato salad, pico de gallo, caprese pasta salad, and more! I am currently obsessed with Roasted Tomatoes…

Pesto Pasta Salad

This creamy pesto pasta salad recipe is easy and bursting with flavor! It’s the perfect easy summer side dish. What’s…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This creamy pesto pasta salad recipe is easy and bursting with flavor! It’s the perfect easy summer side dish.

Pesto Pasta Salad

What’s more a quintessential summer dish than a great pasta salad? Try this Pesto Pasta Salad recipe, which celebrates everything seasonal in summer! It features chewy bowties with pops of fresh cherry tomatoes, tangy artichokes and peppery baby arugula. Make a batch of fresh basil pesto or grab some at the store, then mix it up in to a creamy dressing to cover everything. This one was so irresistible, we couldn’t stop exclaiming how good it was after stuffing in each bite (and our 5 year old gobbled it up!).

Ingredients in this pesto pasta salad recipe

This pesto pasta salad recipe is simpler than most pasta salads because the ingredient list is short and sweet. The most important thing here? A high quality pesto. It’s best with homemade, but you can use purchased as well (see below for more). Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Bowties (farfalle) or other short-cut pasta
  • Canned artichoke hearts
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Sliced pepperoncini
  • Baby arugula
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Basil pesto
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • Mayonnaise
  • Salt
Pesto Pasta Salad

For the pesto: homemade vs storebought

This pesto pasta salad tastes the best when you make it with homemade basil pesto, with fresh summer basil! Of course, we know that’s not always possible. Here’s the thing about pesto: purchased pesto varies greatly between brands. Many purchased brands taste intensely acidic or have an odd aftertaste. Here’s what to know:

  • Homemade pesto has the best flavor! Basil Pesto is best homemade. You can also try Arugula Pesto or Kale Pesto.
  • Purchased pesto brands vary greatly in flavor: some are very acidic. We’ve experimented with lots of different brands: and they all have a different salt and acid level.
  • Squeeze packs of fresh pesto are now on the market, and some have better flavor than jars. Experiment to find one you love!

Notes on the pasta salad dressing

This pesto pasta salad has a deliciously creamy pasta salad dressing that you’ll adore, featuring both Greek yogurt, mayonnaise and pesto. We made this one creamy because we find that pesto on it own can become sticky and dry. Mixing it with a little yogurt and mayo helps it to coat the pasta better. Don’t want to use Greek yogurt? You can substitute sour cream instead.

Pesto

Use any type of short cut pasta

This pesto pasta salad works with any type of short cut pasta you have on hand! We like bowties for this one because of the look and the way that it distributes with the other ingredients. Here are some other types of short cut pasta that work well:

  • Bowties (farfalle): our favorite!
  • Spirals (fusilli)
  • Penne
  • Shells (medium-sized)
  • Orecchiette
  • Gemelli
  • Gigli

Make ahead and storage for pesto pasta salad

This pesto pasta salad is a great salad for a picnic or a barbecue! It tastes best immediately after making, but it does store well. If you make in advance and refrigerate, you may want to refresh the flavors before serving since pasta salad can lose some flavor while storing. Here’s what to know:

  • Pesto pasta salad lasts for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. It’s great for cookouts or healthy lunches throughout the week.
  • After refrigeration, make sure to refresh the flavors. Bring the salad to room temperature. Taste and see if you need to add a pinch of extra salt. If the pasta salad seems dry, add a dollop of sour cream, mayo or pesto to revive the creamy texture.
Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

More pasta salad recipes

There’s nothing like a great pasta salad for a summer event, be it a barbecue, cookout or picnic! Here are a few more pasta salad recipes we love:

This pesto pasta salad recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Print
Pesto Pasta Salad

Pesto Pasta Salad


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 12 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 5 to 6

Description

This creamy pesto pasta salad recipe is easy and bursting with flavor! It’s the perfect easy summer side dish.


Ingredients

  • 8 ounces short cut pasta (we used farfalle)
  • 14 ounce can (8.5 ounce dry weight) quartered artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • ⅓ cup sliced pepperoncini
  • 2 cups baby arugula
  • ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • ⅓ cup basil pesto (homemade or purchased, or kale pesto or arugula pesto)
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as desired

Instructions

  1. Start a large pot of well-salted water to boil. Boil the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and run cool water over it until it’s room temperature, then shake off any extra water.
  2. Prepare the vegetables: roughly chop the artichokes and slice the tomatoes.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the pesto, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise and kosher salt. Add the drained pasta, vegetables and Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Taste and add another ¼ teaspoon salt depending on the saltiness of the pesto. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Allow to come to room temperature and if desired, add a pinch more salt. If the pasta salad seems dry, add a dollop of sour cream, mayo or pesto to revive the creamy texture.).
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Pesto pasta salad, pesto pasta salad recipe, pasta salad with pesto

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Roasted Carrots with Basil & Carrot Top Pesto

Roasting carrots brings out their natural sweetness; when topped with a tangy pesto made with the parsley-like carrot tops (just say no to food waste!) it makes for a perfect seasonal side dish. The feathery carrot greens are blended with sweet basil, pine nuts, olive oil and vinegar to make a tangy green sauce that’s […]

The post Roasted Carrots with Basil & Carrot Top Pesto first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

Roasting carrots brings out their natural sweetness; when topped with a tangy pesto made with the parsley-like carrot tops (just say no to food waste!) it makes for a perfect seasonal side dish.

The feathery carrot greens are blended with sweet basil, pine nuts, olive oil and vinegar to make a tangy green sauce that’s a perfect compliment to the natural flavor and sweetness of the carrots.

Blue and white ceramic platter with pile of Roasted Carrots, drizzled with Basil and Carrot Top Pesto on a blue background.

We’ve been getting big beautiful bundles of carrots in our CSA lately, vibrantly orange and sweet, with plumes of feathery greens still attached that I hate to just throw away (yes, they’re edible just like beet greens or turnip greens). Add in bunches of fragrant sweet basil that came with our most recent share, and this recipe basically developed itself.

If you haven’t had them before, carrot greens have an earthy, parsley-like flavor that can be used in myriad different ways, including this unique and flavorful pesto-like green sauce. It’s somewhat similar to the carrot top pesto I served with this creamy carrot soup; the flavors of the sweet carrot and grassy pesto are perfect compliments to each other. You know what they say, if they grow together, they go together (actually, I don’t know anyone who says that, but in this case it totally fits).

(more…)

Pesto Mozzarella Roll Ups

Pesto mozzarella roll ups combine melty mozzarella cheese and flavorful basil pesto rolled up in a flour tortilla then baked to perfection!

The post Pesto Mozzarella Roll Ups appeared first on Budget Bytes.

I’ve wanted to make this fun snack for a couple of years now and I had a little leftover pesto the other day so I finally made it happen! These Pesto Mozzarella Roll Ups are a riff off of my Pizza Roll Ups recipe. It’s a tasty combo of pesto and mozzarella rolled up in flour tortilla then baked until crispy on the outside and melty on the inside. So fun! I also paired these roll ups with a creamy and tangy dip that perfectly balances the basil pesto.

side view of a plate full of pesto mozzarella roll ups.

What Kind of Pesto to Use

Pesto is undoubtedly the most expensive ingredient in this dish, so you’ll want to choose wisely. Aldi has a pretty good basil pesto for a great price but if that one isn’t your favorite or you don’t have an Aldi near you, I also like Barilla, Classico, and Felippo Berio brands.

And don’t let the rest of the jar of pesto go to waste! Check out our pesto archives for other delicious ways to use up your pesto.

To Dip or Not to Dip

I paired these pesto mozzarella roll ups with a super simple creamy and tangy tomato flavored dip, but it’s completely optional. The roll ups are great on their own and it does get pretty rich with the dip, so it’s totally up to you! Or, if you already have a fridge full of half-used bottles of sauces and dressing, try experimenting with a different flavor dip. ;)

How Are the Leftovers?

Pesto mozzarella roll ups are definitely best right when they come out of the oven so the tortilla is crispy and the mozzarella is soft and melty, so I suggest scaling the recipe up or down as needed. Luckily, they’re just as easy to make whether you want to make two or twenty!

a pesto mozzarella roll up being torn in half, the cheese pulling between.
Side view of pesto mozzarella roll ups stacked on a plate.

Pesto Mozzarella Roll Ups

Pesto mozzarella roll ups combine melty mozzarella cheese and flavorful basil pesto rolled up in a flour tortilla then baked to perfection!
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Total Cost $4.71 recipe / $0.59 each
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 roll ups
Calories 226kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

Pesto Mozzarella Roll Ups

  • 8 8-inch flour tortillas $2.23
  • 4 Tbsp basil pesto $1.00
  • 4 pieces mozzarella string cheese $1.00
  • 1 Tbsp cooking oil $0.04

Creamy Tomato Dip (optional)

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise $0.29
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste $0.07
  • 1 clove garlic, minced $0.08

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 30 seconds to soften the tortillas.
  • Slice the string cheese in half length-wise. Spread ½ Tbsp pesto over the lower half of each tortilla, staying away from the edges. Place one piece of mozzarella on top of each.
  • Fold the sides of the tortilla in on top of the cheese, then begin rolling up from the bottom until the cheese is completely rolled up in the tortilla.
  • Place the roll ups on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Brush the roll ups with a light coating of cooking oil.
  • Bake the roll ups in the preheated oven for about 13 minutes, or until they're lightly golden brown on the edges and the cheese is melted.
  • While the roll ups are in the oven, prepare the creamy tomato dip. Stir together the mayonnaise, tomato paste, and minced garlic.
  • Let the roll ups cool just enough to handle, then serve with the creamy tomato dip.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll up | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 461mg | Fiber: 1g
pesto mozzarella roll ups stacked on a plate, one being dipped into the sauce on the side.

How to Make Pesto Mozzarella Roll Ups – Step by Step Photos

Tortillas stacked on a plate with a damp paper towel covering.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Stack eight 8-inch flour tortillas on a plate and cover them with a damp paper towel. Microwave for about 30 seconds to steam the tortillas. This makes them soft and pliable so they won’t rip when you try to roll them.

Pesto mozzarella roll up being built.

Slice four pieces of mozzarella string cheese in half length-wise. You’ll use one half per roll up. Smear about ½ Tbsp basil pesto over the bottom half of a tortilla, staying away from the edges. Place one halved string cheese on the pesto.

A pesto mozzarella roll up half-way rolled.

Fold the sides of the tortilla in to close off the ends, then start rolling from the bottom up until the cheese is fully rolled up in the tortilla.

pesto mozzarella roll ups being brushed with oil.

Place the roll ups seam side down on a lined baking sheet. Brush them lightly with cooking oil. This helps the tortillas get extra crispy. You could also spritz them with cooking spray. Bake the roll ups for about 13 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on the edges.

creamy tomato sauce in a bowl with a spoon.

While the pesto mozzarella roll ups are baking, make the creamy tomato sauce. In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, and 1 clove of minced garlic.

baked pesto mozzarella roll ups.

Once the roll ups are lightly golden brown on the edges and you start to see a little cheese oozing, they’re ready! This should take about 13 minutes of baking, give or take a minute or two. Let them cool just enough to handle.

Side view of pesto mozzarella roll ups stacked on a plate.

The pesto kind of soaks into the tortillas making them soooooo good!

Pesto mozzarella roll up dipped into the bowl of creamy tomato sauce.

You don’t want to know how many of these I ate while taking the photographs!

The post Pesto Mozzarella Roll Ups appeared first on Budget Bytes.