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Le Chaudron recipe
Salade de pâtes au pesto
Pesto pasta salad
⏱ 25 minServes 4Easy420 kcal
A recipe from Le Chaudron — the cooking of France’s regions.
01 — Ingredients4 servings
500 g (18 oz)short pastafarfalle or penne
200 g (7 oz)basil pesto, homemade or jarred
300 g (11 oz)cherry tomatoes
200 g (7 oz)buffalo mozzarella
150 g (5 oz)fresh arugula
100 g (3½ oz)toasted pine nuts
100 g (3½ oz)Kalamata olives
5 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
2 tbspbalsamic vinegar
1large bunch of fresh basil
100 g (3½ oz)shaved Parmesan- 5 tbspextra olive oil
1 tspfleur de sel (flaky sea salt)
1 tspfreshly ground pepper
- 500 g (18 oz) short pasta farfalle or penne
- 200 g (7 oz) basil pesto, homemade or jarred
- 300 g (11 oz) cherry tomatoes
- 200 g (7 oz) buffalo mozzarella
- 150 g (5 oz) fresh arugula
- 100 g (3½ oz) toasted pine nuts
- 100 g (3½ oz) Kalamata olives
- 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 large bunch of fresh basil
- 100 g (3½ oz) shaved Parmesan
- 5 tbsp extra olive oil
- 1 tsp fleur de sel (flaky sea salt)
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Quantities scaled for — some (egg, lemon, garlic…) are rounded to what’s practical.
Serves 4. In the app, quantities adjust to the number of guests on their own — and the ingredients go straight to your shopping list.
03 — Method
- Cook the 500 g (1 lb) pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water (10 g salt per liter, about 2 tsp per quart) until AL DENTE, per the package. Al dente matters: the pasta keeps softening in the salad.
- Drain the pasta and rinse IMMEDIATELY under cold water to stop the cooking.
- Tip the cooled pasta into the large bowl and toss with 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil so it doesn't stick.
- Wash the 300 g (2 cups) cherry tomatoes and halve them lengthwise.
- Lift the mozzarella out of its brine and drain on paper towels for 10 minutes. Cut into 2 cm (¾ in) cubes.
- Drain and pit the 100 g (⅔ cup) Kalamata olives. Toast the 100 g (⅔ cup) pine nuts in a small dry skillet for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant.
- Wash the 150 g (5 oz) arugula in cold water and spin completely dry. Pick the leaves from the large bunch of basil.
- Stir the pesto into the cooled pasta to coat. Add the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, arugula, basil and pine nuts. Toss. Top generously with parmesan shavings and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
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