Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is something my kids love as well. It’s delicious, flavorful, and so fresh. It includes all the ingredients that will take your taste buds on a trip to through mediterranean coast!

Just a few tips before making this salad:

1. Do not over-toss your salad. It loses its crunch and freshness. More notes below on how to avoid this.
2. Make sure your pasta is completely covered in pesto sauce, thats where you will get most flavour.
3. Feel free to use some of the oils from your jarred ingredients. It adds some amazing seasoning.

Easy Mediterranean Pasta Salad

The Veggie Wifey

A flavorful & fresh salad to keep you cool during the summer heat!

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Servings 2 people

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Equipment

• 1 Salad Spinner from my amazon store

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 cups salad leaves washed and spun in the salad spinner
• ▢ 2 cups fusilli pasta boiled, strained and run under cold water
• ▢ 2 tbsps red or green pesto fresh or bottled, it's totally up to you!
• ▢ 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1/4 cup feta crumbled or diced
• ▢ 5-6 pitted olives jarred olives immersed in oil is great!
• ▢ 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds roasted
• ▢ 3 slices of artichoke from the jar diced. Jarred artichoke immersed in oil is great!
• ▢ 3 strips of sun-dried tomato cut or chopped into small pieces. Jarred sun-dried tomatoes immersed in oil is great!
• ▢ some grated mozzarella for garnishing
• ▢ balsamic cream for garnishing

Instructions

• Make sure your salad leaves are fully washed, and dry before you use them. The salad spinner is perfect for this
• Place your leaves in your salad bowl, add the olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Then use salad tongs to gently toss your leaves. I use silicone ones instead of the sharp metal ones. Don't over-toss your leaves as it will start to absorb the liquid and it will end up really soggy. Squeezing them too tight in-between your tongs will also crush the leaves. Spin the salad around for a maximum of 3 times.
• In a frying pan over medium heat, pour your boiled pasta and the pesto sauce. Sauté this together until the pasta is fully covered in the pesto, then set aside. You can add more pesto here if you would like!
• Once your pasta is cool, add it to your salad bowl of leaves.
• Now you can add your olives, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and pumpkin seeds.
• Sprinkle your feta on top, and garnish with mozzarella cheese.
• For the final but most important step, drizzle the balsamic cream on top before its served.
• Enjoy warm!