Pesto Pasta Salad with Feta

This pesto pasta salad with feta is an easy recipe that comes together with pantry staples and a jar of pesto. It's one of my go-to dishes for potlucks, picnics, and easy weeknight sides.

Fusilli gets tossed with basil pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, olives, and feta cheese for a salad that's even better the next day.

Ingredients and Substitutions

This recipe uses simple ingredients that you may already have in your refrigerator and pantry.

• Fusilli pasta: The spirals are great at holding onto the pesto and the smaller add-ins. Rotini, rigatoni, penne, or orecchiette would all work well too.
• Sun-dried tomatoes: These add a concentrated, savoury tomato flavour. I prefer to use sun-dried tomatoes that are packed in jars with oil. The dry-packed versions have a chewier texture. Roasted cherry tomatoes are a nice substitute if you'd prefer something fresher.
• Marinated artichoke hearts: Look for these in a jar near the olives at the grocery store.
• Olives: I would have gone with Italian Gaeta olives, but I couldn't find any at the grocery stores in my area, so I used Kalamata olives instead. Pre-sliced olives are handy for convenience if your store carries them.
• Feta cheese: I like to buy a whole block of feta and crumble it myself, but you can use pre-crumbled feta to save time. Substitute with bocconcini (mozzarella pearls) if you prefer a milder cheese.
• Basil pesto: Fresh basil pesto gives you the best flavour, but a good store-bought pesto works too. I used my homemade basil pesto with walnuts for this recipe.

This recipe has not been tested with all possible substitutions or variations. Making changes may alter the taste, texture, or overall outcome. If you try a different ingredient, please share in the comments!

See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and recipe instructions.

Variations

• Fresh vegetables: Cherry tomatoes or roasted red peppers are all nice additions if you'd like something a little fresher alongside the sun-dried tomatoes and olives.
• Extra greens: Stir in a handful of baby spinach or arugula right before serving.
• Add protein: Leftover grilled chicken, salmon, chickpeas, or white beans turn this side dish into a heartier main course.
• Change the pesto: Try using a garlic scape pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto for a completely different flavour base.

How to Cool Pasta Without Rinsing It

I don't rinse my pasta in cold water to cool it down, as that removes the starch from the outside of the pasta (and some people would argue that it removes flavour, too).

Instead, use this tip that I learned from my culinary arts classes.

1. Cook your pasta according to the package directions, and drain well.
2. Spread out the pasta on a baking sheet. A half sheet pan is a good size for this recipe.
3. Drizzle the pasta with olive oil, and stir to coat. Allow the pasta to cool completely.

If you need to do this ahead of time, wrap the tray in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

When I first tested this method, I was worried that the oil would prevent the pesto from sticking to the pasta. After all, you'll often hear people say never to add oil to the water you boil your pasta in.

However, since pesto is made with olive oil, this method actually works very well for this pasta salad recipe.

Tips for Success

• Make your pasta water salty. Foods that are eaten cold need more seasoning than warm dishes; otherwise, they tend to taste bland.
• Don't overcook the pasta. No one wants mushy pasta in their pasta salad.
• If you don't have time to completely cool your pasta before adding the pesto, try to at least wait long enough for it to cool slightly. I've found that adding pesto to hot pasta can make it split, and since we're eating this dish cold, it can make the pasta seem greasy.
• If you can, make this pasta salad the day before you plan to serve it. It tastes even better the next day.

Serve With

This pesto pasta salad is hearty enough to serve on its own for lunch, or as a side alongside grilled chicken or salmon.

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