Pesto & Courgette Pasta Salad with Tomato Basil Salsa

Pesto & Courgette Pasta Salad with Tomato Basil Salsa

Ready in 30 minutes • Serves 4
This dish most recently appeared in Fresh Start Choice (4 Nights For 4) on Sunday, January 23, 2022.
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Packed with flavour and bright in colour, this summer pasta salad will create the perfect al fresco dining experience. The basil pesto coats protein packed pulse pasta, with bites of juicy tomato adding freshness to each forkful.

Ingredients

Tomato Salsa

  • 1 pack cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 bunch basil, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Pasta Salad

  • 100g vegan basil pesto
  • 100g baby spinach
  • 250g pulse penne pasta
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 200g green beans, halved
  • 2 courgette, thinly sliced into rounds

To Serve

  • 1/2 bunch basil, leaves picked
  • 50g feta cheese, crumbled

Steps

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
  2. Cut tomatoes in half, finely chop first measure of basil and mince garlic. Toss together in a medium bowl with balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside to serve.
  3. Thinly slice courgette into rounds and cut beans in half. Heat oil in a large fry-pan on medium-high heat. Add courgette and beans, season with salt and pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat and add to a large bowl.
  4. Cook pasta in boiling water for 6-8 minutes, until tender. Drain well and rinse under cold water to cool. Drain well and transfer to bowl with cooked vegetables.
  5. Add spinach and pesto to bowl with pasta salad and toss together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Crumble feta and pick remaining basil leaves.
  6. Pasta salad topped with feta, tomato salsa and basil.

Nutritional Information

Energy 1878 kj
449 kcal
Protein 20.1g
Carbohydrate 41.7g
Fat 19.7g