Last week I got the question when I would post another delicious salad recipe again. So today I am bringing you this quick and easy pasta salad. I make pasta salads in many variations, but this is one of my favorites. It is super easy to make, but pasta salads do require a little more time as the pasta has to be boiled and has to cool down. So bear that in mind when you start making this. Other than that, it’s very straightforward. Let’s have a look!

Pasta salad with salmon & pesto

Total time: 4 hours. Prep time: 15 minutes. Cooling time: 2 – 4 hours, or overnight. Serves: 4 – 6.

Ingredients:

• Whole grain or gluten free fusili pasta
• 1 cucumber
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 125 grams mixed lettuce
• pine nuts
• 1 jar of green pesto (or homemade)
• 2 cans of salmon

As usual you won’t need very many tools to make this. Just a chopping board and a knife and a pan for boiling your pasta.

Step 1: Boil your pasta according to the directions on the packaging. Since you will be cooling the pasta, I suggest you overcook your pasta ever so slightly. If you cook it al dente, your salad will have a bit more of a bite to it than you might like. I find that cooking your pasta all the way through, makes for the best results with a bite to the pasta, but nothing too raw.

Step 2: While your pasta is boiling away you don’t have to do anything yet. You don’t want your veggies to brown while you’re waiting for your pasta to cool down. If your making your own pesto, you should do so now, because you will be needing it shortly.

Step 3: Once you’ve boiled the pasta, drain it then take your pesto and stir it through. This will prevent your pasta from becoming a sticky mess and the flavors can start working their magic.

Step 4: Leave your pasta to cool to room temperature and then transfer to the fridge for a few hours until it is cooled completely. I like to leave mine overnight, but you can also start this in the morning and then serve it at night.

Step 5: Once your pasta is completely cooled, chop up your veggies, drain your salmon and add it and sprinkle your nuts on top.

Bon appetit!