Elevate classic pasta salad with this vibrant walnut and pea pesto sauce! This gluten-free recipe is perfect for summer days, backyard barbecues, and potlucks.
Jump to RecipeA Zesty Twist on Pasta Salads
Swap your traditional pasta salad for this vibrant, gluten-free version featuring a unique sweet pesto made from green peas and candied walnuts from Santé Nuts. Perfect for warm weather, this dish combines juicy cherry tomatoes, salty ham, and creamy mozzarella for a delicious bite. Ideal for Fourth of July gatherings or meal prep, this pasta salad is your new 30-minute summer staple!
What Is Pesto?
Pesto, originating in Italy in the 16th century, is traditionally made with garlic, pine nuts, basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and olive oil, offering a nutty flavor balanced by sharp cheese and bold herbs. While it pairs well with various pastas, it's often served with potato gnocchi.
Today, numerous pesto variations exist, like Tuscan kale and avocado pesto, each complementing different dishes. For example, arugula pesto’s peppery notes enhance roasted vegetables.
When pairing pesto with recipes, consider its base ingredients, as they greatly influence flavor. This recipe uses peas and walnuts, creating a sweeter pesto that balances perfectly with the pasta salad ingredients for a harmonious bite.
How to Make Walnut and Pea Pesto
You can make this tasty pesto in just five minutes with a food processor and fewer than 10 ingredients!
- Peas: Use thawed frozen peas or steamed ones, cooled to room temperature.
- Walnuts: Candied walnuts from Santé Nuts add sweetness and crunch, pairing well with the peas.
- Olive Oil: This smooths the pesto into a sauce.
- Lemon: A splash of lemon juice adds necessary acidity.
- Garlic: One clove enhances flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Parmesan: This nutty cheese adds depth and complements the walnuts.
- Basil Leaves: Essential for that signature pesto flavor, balancing the sweetness.
Together, these ingredients create a perfectly balanced flavor profile, allowing the peas and walnuts to shine!
The Base of the Salad
A great salad relies on its dressing, toppings, and base, with the right base being crucial. For this recipe, the choice of gluten-free pasta is vital, as many brands can become mushy or fall apart.
Tips for Choosing Gluten-Free Pasta:
- Brand: Opt for well-known brands like DeLallo, Barilla Chickpea Pasta, and Banza. I used Barilla's chickpea rotini for this recipe.
- Cooking: Undercook the pasta by 60-90 seconds to ensure a slightly al dente texture, even if the brand holds up well.
- Cooling: Allow the cooked pasta to cool to room temperature before adding other ingredients. Avoid refrigerating it, as that can harden the pasta. Instead, toss it with a splash of olive oil in a glass bowl and stir every few minutes to cool it down quickly.
Following these tips will ensure the pasta salad has the perfect texture!
Building the Pasta Salad
This pasta salad comes together in minutes! After the pasta has cooled to room temperature, fold in the pesto using a spatula, ensuring even coating since the pasta is slightly al dente.
Next, add two cups of steamed and cooled green peas, which complement the pesto's flavor. Then, include a cup of halved cherry tomatoes for color, diced ham (preferably leftover holiday ham for extra flavor), and mozzarella pearls.
Finally, fold all the ingredients together using a spatula or salad tongs. Serve up your delicious pasta salad and enjoy!
Highlighting the Walnuts
This pasta salad is a new go-to, thanks to the unique Walnut and Pea Pesto that elevates simple dishes in minutes. The walnuts enhance the sweetness of the peas, adding depth instead of balancing it out. Unlike traditional pestos with bitter pine nuts, walnuts offer a complex flavor profile with rich oil content and subtle sweetness. The sugar coating of candied walnuts from Santé Nuts further enriches the flavor, making this pesto truly special.
Other Sante Nuts Recipes
I love the variety of flavored nuts from Santé Nuts, a family-owned company that crafts hand-roasted snacks in small batches. They offer an array of flavors using almonds, walnuts, and pecans. Here are some favorites:
- Garlic Almonds: Perfect for snacking or adding crunch to Lemony Asparagus Risotto.
- Candied Pecans: Great for baking, like in Gluten-Free Pecan Crusted Mini Key Lime Pies, or in salads like Radicchio Salad with Pecans.
- Cocoa Almonds: Chocolate-coated almonds ideal for charcuterie boards, trail mix, or desserts like Rocky Road Ice Cream.
Check my Instagram for more gluten-free recipes featuring Santé Nuts, and use code 'BOTTOMLESSPIT' for 15% off your order!
Walnut and Pea Pasta Salad
Course: Appetizers, Sides, Lunch, Main, SaladsDifficulty: Easy10
Servings30
minutesDiscover how to make the walnut and pea pesto from scratch, along with the full pasta salad recipe!
Ingredients
- For the Walnut and Pea Pesto
2 cups peas, steamed and cooled to room temperature
½ cup olive oil
½ cup walnuts, halved
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup parmesan cheese
4-6 large basil leaves
1 large garlic clove
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
- For the Pasta Salad
One 8oz. box of gluten-free pasta, cooked according to box instructions
2 cups peas, steamed and cooled to room temperature
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup cooked ham, diced
⅓ cup mozzarella pearls
Directions
- For the Walnut and Pea Pesto
- Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor.
- Pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed.
- For the Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta according to the box instructions, then allow the pasta to cool to room temperature.
- Add the pasta to a large bowl with all of the walnut and pea pesto.
- Use a spatula to fold in the pesto until all of the pasta is evenly coated.
- Pour the peas, tomatoes, ham and mozzarella pearls into the bowl.
- Mix the ingredients to evenly disperse before serving and enjoying!
Recipe Video
Notes
- Store in an air-tight container for up to four days.
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