Pesto pasta salad

Author: Caroline Trickey - BSc (Physiology and Biochemistry), BNutrDiet

Photographer: Vanessa Levis

First published: Jul 2021

Turn a handful of ingredients into a nourishing family meal with this recipe that's ready in only twenty-five minutes.

Serves: 4

Time to make: 25 mins

Hands-on time: 10 mins

Ingredients

250g legume-based pasta
½ cup pesto
2 courgetteszucchini, summer squashX, 1 sliced thinly lengthways, 1 spiralised or grated
250g cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
½ cup pitted black olives
¹⁄³ cup reduced-fat feta, crumbled
100g bag baby spinach
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1 Cook pasta as per directions on pack. Drain and allow to cool for a few minutes before tossing with pesto.

2 Add sliced courgette to a frying pan with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil for about 1 minute on medium heat.

3 Mix the fried and spiralised courgette, tomatoes, olives, feta and the spinach leaves in a large bowl. Serve the salad sprinkled with pine nuts.

This recipe can also be made using spinach & cheese-filled tortellini in place of pasta.

Calories 545cal

Kilojoules 2290kJ

Protein 23.1g

Total fat 30.6g

–Saturated fat 5.2g

Carbohydrates 40.5g

–Sugars 4.3g

Dietary fibre 8.5g

Sodium 407mg

Calcium 170mg

Iron 6mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.

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