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creamy pesto basil pasta in a blue and white serving bowl

Creamy Basil Pasta Salad

5 from 6 votes
A creamy cold pasta salad with all the flavors of fresh pesto. Perfect for a light meal or delicious side.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Dressing Chill Time (recommended) 1 hour
Servings12 cups
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1.5 oz basil about 3 cups lightly packed
  • 10 oz cherry tomatoes sliced in half
  • 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil roughly chopped, about ½ cup
  • 1.5 oz arugula 3 cups lightly packed, more if desired
  • 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan about 1.5-2 oz
  • 16 oz dry bowtie pasta

Instructions

  • Start by making the dressing so the flavors have time to marry together. In a food processor combine mayo, cottage cheese, garlic, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, and basil.
  • Process in food processor until smooth and set aside. I prefer to make this dressing 30-60 minutes ahead of time so it has time to do it's thing. Just store in the fridge until you're ready to assemble.
    Note: All brands of cottage cheese are different. Some will be thicker than others. After assembling, if you need to- feel free to add in a small amount of additional liquid if you feel that your dressing is too thick. Milk, buttermilk, and extra lemon juice are all good options.
  • Cook pasta according to package instructions, making sure to generously salt your cooking water (about a tablespoon). When pasta is done cooking, strain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
  • Place the well drained pasta in a large salad bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, and parmesan cheese.
  • Add the prepared dressing and toss pasta salad until well combined.
  • If you chill the salad before serving, you'll find the pasta absorbs the dressing and it might appear drier than when you first made it. You can easily loosen it up before serving by drizzling in just a little bit of milk or buttermilk.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 170kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 321mg, Potassium: 259mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 530IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Main Courses
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 170kcal
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