Pasta Salad with Arugula Pesto

My daughter-in-law made this for Murray and I when we were visiting, It was so delish that I had to try it when I got home. The Arugula Pesto is just so good! The colour is beautiful and I love the flavour. This Pasta Salad with Arugula Pesto is Parve/Non-Dairy/Vegan

You can eat this as a side dish, a meal on its own. Great as leftovers for lunch!

As with many recipes you can use this recipe as a guide to make the Pasta Salad you want! The quantity of ingredients matters so that you have enough pesto to coat everything but the type of pasta and the vegetables you use can be totally uo to you! Look in your fridge and you can use up what vegetables you have! Chop them up & roast them! Then add them to the pasta & dress with the Arugula Pesto!

I used green beans and peppers that I roasted. Then I added fresh cherry tomatoes. Asparagus would be delish in this too! Any roasted vegetable that you and your family like will be good

I used Rotini so that the Arugula Pesto could get in the grooves of the pasta! But use whatever you like! A short pasta for this type of pasta salad is best.

The Arugula Pesto recipe is from LOVE & LEMONS I changed it up a bit but I used their recipe for my guide

Here is the recipe

Ingredients

4 cups uncooked Rotini

2 peppers, use what ever colour you like! Cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup roasted green vegetable, cut your veg to the same size as you cut the peppers

1 red onion, chopped into the same size pieces as the other vegetables * optional… I did not use this since I forgot!

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Arugula Pesto

2 cups arugula

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/3 cup olive oil

4 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp water

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 400f

1. Cook the pasta until it is done to the softness you like. I like my pasta for pasta salad soft
2. While the pasta is cooking prepare & roast the vegetables. To roast the veg, cut them & coat with some olive oil & salt. Make sure all the veg are coated with some oil. Spread in an even layer onto a lined baking sheet. I line my baking sheets for vegetables with foil Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven. The time depends on what vegetables you are using & what size you cut them! Keep an eye on them! do not char the peppers. Also, if some of the vegetables are cooked before others that’s ok. The vegetables do not need to be ‘soft’ just cooked a bit! Remove the veg from the oven when they are done & set aside
3. When the pasta is done, drain & set aside to cool
4. Make the Arugula Pesto, Combine all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
5. Put the cooled pasta into a large bowl. Pour on the Arugula Pesto on & mix thoroughly Add the vegetables & mix
6. Taste & adjust seasonings Add more lemon juice if you like or salt & pepper

Enjoy!