Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 242kcal
Ingredients
For the salad:
- ½ pound gluten-free pasta of choice elbows or spirals work best
- 1 medium red or green bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 small red onion diced
- 3 medium celery stalks diced
- 2 cups grape tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup not packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
For the dressing:
- 1 12 ounce package firm silken tofu (such as Mori Nu)
- 1½ ounces fresh basil leaves 50-60 leaves
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves not packed
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Fine sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the salad:
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Rinse well and drain. Place into a large bowl with the chopped pepper, onion, celery, tomatoes, and cilantro. Toss to combine.
Make the dressing:
- Place all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour about 2/3 of the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to coat. Add more dressing if a creamier pasta salad is desired. (Save any extra dressing in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Use as a dip, over more pasta, or as a spread for wraps or sandwiches.)
Nutrition
Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 39mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1100IU | Vitamin C: 29.2mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 0.6mg