Sun Dried Tomato White Bean Artichoke Pesto Pasta Salad

Updated October 09, 2019

Pesto Pasta Salad

Mmm, pesto pasta salad. It’s fun to say and fun to eat! I love my super easy pesto pasta salad, but this one is jazzed up with lots of flavorful ingredients. White beans, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and arugula make this a really well-rounded dish that’s wonderful for potlucks, summer dinners, or as a colorful side!

What Kind of Pasta Should You Use for Pasta Salad?

I like using Fusili for this pasta salad recipe! The ridges in the pasta make perfect little spots for all of these yummy flavors to hang out, so every bite you take is just right. Of course, you can use any type of pasta you prefer or have on hand! Other good options are:

FarfallePenneMacaroniRigatoniOrecchiette

Pesto Pasta Salad Ingredients:

This Pesto Pasta Salad is loaded with some of my favorite summertime ingredients. Once you have your pasta cooked and ready to go, you can add in lots of fun and flavorful ingredients!

Pesto-I like to use my homemade spinach basil pesto, but store bought pesto will work too! White beans-you can use cannellini beans, Great Northern, or navy beans. If you aren’t a white bean fan, use chickpeas! Artichoke hearts-I use canned artichoke hearts, jarred will work well too! Sun-dried tomatoes-Look for sun-dried tomatoes in the canned vegetable aisle. They add a ton of flavor to this pasta salad. Arugula-one of my favorite additions! I love the peppery kick and pop of green. Spinach would also work well. Parmesan cheese-cheese is always a good idea and freshly grated Parmesan is the perfect finishing touch to this pasta salad! Fresh basil-the pasta salad already has great basil flavor from the pesto but I like to add some fresh basil for garnish. Pine nuts-optional, but SO good!

Serving Pesto Pasta Salad

We like this as a cold pasta in the summertime! I like to make it early in the day before it gets too warm outside, then pull it out of the fridge when everyone is ready to eat. No standing over a hot stove during the warmest part of the day! Because it’s so good cold, it also makes for A+ leftovers and lunches. If you want to serve it warm, go for it! If you’d like a more filling pasta salad, this one would be delicious with grilled or shredded chicken added in. You could also use a rotisserie chicken to make it that much easier on yourself!