Sun-Dried Tomato, White Bean, and Artichoke Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
A vibrant and flavorful pasta salad featuring fusilli pasta tossed with basil pesto, white beans, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh arugula. Finished with Parmesan cheese and garnished with fresh basil and pine nuts, this dish is perfect as a light lunch or a satisfying side salad.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 oz fusilli pasta (or other short-cut pasta)
Salad
- 1 cup basil pesto
- 14 oz white beans, rinsed and drained
- 14 oz artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
- 6 oz sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
- 2 cups arugula
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta. Transfer the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Toss with Pesto: Add one cup of basil pesto to the cooled pasta. Stir thoroughly to evenly coat all the pasta with the pesto sauce, ensuring every bite is flavorful.
- Add Vegetables and Beans: Gently fold in the rinsed and drained white beans, chopped artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh arugula. Mix carefully to combine the ingredients without breaking the beans or bruising the arugula.
- Season and Garnish: Sprinkle in the shredded Parmesan cheese and season the salad with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste. Garnish the pasta salad with chopped fresh basil and, if desired, pine nuts for added texture and flavor.
- Serve or Chill: Serve immediately at room temperature or cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve for a cold pasta salad experience.
Notes
- Use gluten-free pasta if you need to make this recipe gluten-free.
- If fresh pesto is unavailable, store-bought pesto works well.
- Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil will add extra richness; drain before chopping.
- For added protein, substitute white beans with chickpeas or add grilled chicken.
- Chilling the salad enhances the flavors, so prepare ahead of time for best results.
Keywords: pasta salad, pesto pasta salad, sun-dried tomato pasta, white bean salad, artichoke pasta, vegetarian pasta salad, Italian salad
