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This is what I make pretty much every week in the summertime.
Please do not hate me for talking about summer in mid May (I used to hate those people who did, especially when I live in a climate that still snows in May, but now I am one of those people…oops). I know we still have a good month until summer, but Memorial Day is about ten days away and I am exited. Plus, my grocery store has had things like corn, watermelon, peaches and tomatoes in for a good week now, so umm, I had to buy them! I know that they are not at their best yet, but again, it just leaves me really excited for what is to come!
And ok, I am a major planner, prepper, preparer, whatever you want to call me. The truth is I want to start preparing you all for an extra awesome summer filled with good food.
I also really want to share this Everything But the Kitchen Sink Pasta Salad recipe. Well, this recipe that isn’t really a recipe, but then it sort of is. Yeah, I just really want to tell you about it. You know what kind of recipe I am talking about right?? With all your favorite summer pasta salad ingredients.
The kind where you throw everything together, hope for the best, and end up with delicious!! Yes, that kind.
This is the dinner I make when sauces, veggies and cheeses start piling up in the fridge, which if you are me, is at least a weekly occurrence. The salad is honestly just a little bit different every time I make it, but today I am sharing my base version, which also happens to be my favorite version.
It’s really just a simple mix of pesto, veggies, pasta and cheese. Nothing too special, except for some smoked salt (if you have it…or want to get it).
Here’s the thing though, you can really add anything to this salad. Just pick a sauce that’s sitting in your fridge (I pretty much always have some homemade pesto and sun-dried tomato pesto, so I normally use a combo of the two). It can really be any sauce though, just something with some good flavor. Basil based sauces are my favorite, but leftover salad dressings, tomato sauce or even peanut sauces can also be used. Just be sure to know what flavors you have going on so that you can add other ingredients accordingly.
Typically, I go heavy on the mediterranean flavors, fill a large bowl up with veggies and then add lots and lots of cheese. I mean, of course.
I do have to say, I make a mean pasta salad and I think I learned it all from my dad. Growing up he’d make this pasta salad for dinner with literally just pasta, broccoli, red peppers and cheddar cheese. So maybe not really a true pasta salad, but still, I loved every bit of that salad, especially the raw broccoli cause I was a freak kid.
Anyway, the point is, I learned two very important things from my dad’s pasta salad.
>>>ONE: Use cubed cheddar cheese no matter what other flavors you have going on. You can just never go wrong with cheddar (unless it’s a peanut based sauce…oh wait, I still add the cheddar to those too…it’s good, I swear!)
>>>TWO: Add the cheese to the bowl, with the sauce and other ingredients BEFORE adding the noodles, and when you add the pasta, make sure it’s HOT. Hot pasta = melty cheese, which equals extra freaking delicious.
Another major bonus to this recipe – takes no time at all to come together. AND you get to clean out your fridge using wholesome ingredients.
Win. WIN!
Everything But the Kitchen Sink Pasta Salad.
Ingredients
- 1 pound short cut pasta, use gluten free if needed
- 3/4 cup [chunky basil pesto | https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/20-minute-brown-butter-chunky-basil-pesto-pasta/] or store bought pesto
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto OR 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup kalamata and or green olives
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced
- 2 ears [grilled corn | https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/exactly-how-i-grill-my-corn-chipotle-lime-and-cotija-cheese-butter/], kernels removed
- 1 cup ripe peach or nectarine, diced (or 1 of your favorite fruit)
- 1 cup heirloom or regular cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8-12 ounces cheddar cheese, cubed
- 6-8 ounces mozzarella, cubed or in balls
- olive oil, for drizzling
- 1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
- 1 cup fresh sprouts
- smoked salt, pepper and crushed red pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al dente, drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the basil pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto, juice of 1 lemon, olives, red peppers, corn kernels, peach or nectarine, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese and a pinch of smoked salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Add the hot pasta and a little drizzle of olive oil. Toss well to combine. Top with toasted sunflower seeds and fresh sprouts. Serve warm or at room temperature, but my family personally loves this warm. The salad can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days. I have found that the longer it sits, the more flavorful it gets.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Also, those cute little tomatoes… taste just like sweet candy to me. So good!
Whoa! This looks just like my go-to pasta salad! Even the corn & micro greens! So good!
No way!! 🙂
Agreed, it is so good! Hope you are having a great week!
Wow! this looks delicious! …and dare we say (kind of) healthy!? Mmmmm, you’ve done it again Tieghan!
Yes, totally healthy!! 🙂
Thanks Ladies! Hope you guys are having a great week!
yum!
Thanks Amanda! Hope you are having a great week!!
I cannot wait to make this once all of our garden veggies come in. Gorgeous!
Right?!? It is so perfect for garden veggies!! Thanks Emily! 🙂
I’m with you, I start planing for summer in like March. Really. I just love all of the summer foods! What I love most about this pasta salad, is it’s adaptability, the sky is the limit! Or the produce section. 🙂
Haha! I am so with you! 🙂 Summer has the BEST food! And yeah, the sky is totally the limit here!!
Thanks Nicole! Hoping you are having a great week!
This has summer written all over it. Beautiful pictures, Tieghan!
Thanks so much, Matt!!
This is one of my favorite dishes to make! Yours looks gorgeous!! I have been chowing down on this for the past 2 weeks now!:)
Thank you so much, Erin!!
Wow! Your pasta salad looks so gorgeous! I love the name too 🙂 Very creative way to use whatever’s in the fridge. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so very much, Mary!! Hope you are enjoying your week! 🙂
This Pasta Salad recipe looks delicious and nutritious. It is very unique compare to other pasta salad. This salad is everything and it’s ingredients are all everything. I am craving for this good recipe for healthy eating . Can’t wait to try this and share it with my family. Thanks for your yummy recipe. Your other recipes also awesome, I love it. Perfect for summer.
Thank you so much, Tarin!! Hope you and your family love the pasta!!
I love the combination of both pestos and I love those sweet little tomatoes! Basically, I love this pasta salad. Delicious! Great recipe!
Thank you so much, Heather!! Hope you love the recipe!!
This is a salad after my own heart! Great Mediterranean twist; I especially love the use of pesto sauce.
Thanks Suzy!!
This is totally my kinda salad….loads of veggies and flavor! And that charred corn? Bring it to me!
And no hate for talking about summer….I am all ready for it!!
YEAH! Thanks so much, Meg!
This salad is EVERYTHING! Like, it has everything in it….and It’s everything that my pasta salad loving face wants in it.
Totally don’t hate you for talking about Summer. it’s almost here! Pinning!
Thank you, Taylor!! Glad you are happy about the summer talk! 🙂
OMW Tieghan, you have made me sooooo hungry for this dish 🙂
Ha! Thank you so much, Lynn!! 🙂
Love it! Summer produce + melty cheese + carbs is always a great combo. If you ever happen to go to NYC (in which case you could write a food journal and the rest of us could drool relentlessly), there’s a place in Chelsea Market that has the best flavored salts- there’s a smoky one, and a really fragrant white truffle one too.
Oh wow! That sounds amazing! New york is on my bucket list, so hopefully soon! 🙂