With school back underway, I love to have pasta salad or other hearty salads that I can make on Sunday and have ready to go in the fridge all week long. These types of dishes hold up really well in the lunch box (pictured below) and are great to grab and go for adult/work lunches as well. We're big fans of pesto in our house, so this twist with red peppers felt like a great way to switch things up!
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Pasta Salad with Red Pepper Pesto
Pasta salad is easy to make on Sunday and have ready to go in the fridge all week long. Try this twist with red peppers for a tasty way to change things up!
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Servings: 6 people
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Ingredients
For the pesto
- ¾ cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup pimentos ((a.k.a. roasted red peppers), with juice)
- ⅓ cup raw almonds
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed or minced)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pepper (to taste)
For the salad
- 2 ¼ cups whole-wheat orzo pasta ((dry) cooked according to package directions and cooled)
- 2 cups sliced fresh spinach leaves
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender combine the pesto ingredients including the basil, Parmesan, pimentos, almonds, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, and blend until smooth.
- Toss pesto together with the cooked pasta, spinach, and cherry tomatoes in a big bowl until well combined. Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Pasta Salad with Red Pepper Pesto
Amount Per Serving
Calories 92
Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 104mg5%
Potassium 117mg3%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 770IU15%
Vitamin C 23mg28%
Calcium 11mg1%
Iron 0.7mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Kristin says
Hi,
What could be a possible replacement for the almonds?
Lisa says
Pine nuts or walnuts!
Maureen Petru says
Should the almonds have the skins removed?
Lisa says
Not necessary!
2pots2cook says
Perfect office lunch ! Thank you !
Lisa says
You are welcome!
Elizabeth says
I’ve had a hard time finding whole wheat orzo. Even shopping online seems to yield only very expensive options. Could you provide a brand and where we buy it? Thanks!
Becky says
Delallo sells it here in CA at Sprouts
Lisa says
There are some options on Amazon or you could substitute with a different (small) pasta if you'd like.