Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

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This Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad with Creamy Pesto Ranch Dressing is a favorite all year round.  It’s loaded with flavor, versatile and is the perfect cold pasta salad to take to any BBQ or gathering.  

Need a quick, easy and delicious side salad everyone will love?  This is the pasta salad for you. 

This pasta salad is made with a creamy pesto ranch dressing and is filled with tomatoes, spinach, and mozzarella cheese.

You can also add chicken to this side salad and it can easily pass as a main dish, chicken pesto pasta salad.  

This pesto pasta salad recipe is very versatile too.  You can easily add some red bell peppers, cucumbers, sliced zucchini, and of course,  grilled chicken is a great addition too. 

Another fun variation is pepper jack cheese instead of mozzarella and even a few pickled peppers to the pasta salad. YUM!

This cold pesto pasta salad is a perfect side dish for any gathering.  It’s a great side for burgers or just grilled chicken.  

Here are some of our favorite best side salads:

BBQ Chicken Salad

Frog Eye Salad

Broccoli Salad with Bacon

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Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

cooling time

5 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

This Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad with Creamy Pesto Ranch Dressing is a favorite all year round.  It's loaded with flavor, versatile and is the perfect cold pasta salad to take to any BBQ or gathering.  

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 422 kcal

Ingredients

• 17.6 oz Pasta You can use any fun shap you'd like. Bowtie pasta is really cute in this recipe. Cooked according to package instructions
• 1 cup Mozzerella Cheese or 6-7 cheese sticks cut into 1/2" chunks
• 1.5 cup Cherry Tomatoes
• 2-3 large handfuls Spinach If you're not serving this right away, wait to add the spinach

Creamy Pesto Ranch Dressing

• 1/2 cup Mayo
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Ranch Dressing Seasoning
• 1/4 cup Pesto

Instructions

How to make Creamy Pesto Ranch Dressing

1. In a blender, combine the mayo, buttermilk and ranch dressing mix. Pulse the blender until the ingredients are mixed and creamy.  Add the pesto and mix again. Pour the creamy ranch pesto dressing on the pasta salad.  Mix until all the pasta and vegetables are coated in the dressing. 

Assembling the Creamy Pesto Ranch Pasta Salad

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.  After you strain the hot pasta, run cold water over the pasta until the pasta is cool.  

2. Wash and cut cherry tomatoes in half.  

3. Open the string cheese and cut into 1/2" chunks. 

4. Combine the pasta, cherry tomatoes, string cheese, and spinach. (If you're not serving this right away, wait to add the spinach) Add the creamy ranch dressing and toss the salad until all the pasta and veggies are coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 422 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 17g 26%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Cholesterol 19mg 6%

Sodium 488mg 20%

Potassium 272mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 51g 17%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 3g

Protein 12g 24%

Vitamin A 22.5%

Vitamin C 10.3%

Calcium 12.4%

Iron 7.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Creamy pesto pasta salad recipe made with your favorite pasta noodles, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, spinach in a creamy pesto ranch dressing.  Perfect for a BBQ or any family gathering.