I’m usually not one for pasta salads, but this one is so summery and fresh it may have converted me. It’s full of wonderful Italian ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes (obviously), roasted peppers, basil, parmesan, and arugula and is all coated in a delicious pesto. I love how colorful and vibrant it is, even before mixing. Hope you give it a try!

Ingredients:

Pasta:

• 12 oz (3/4 box) dry pasta of choice
• 4 cups chopped arugula
• handful of chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup shaved parmesan
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted bell peppers

Dressing:

• 4 tbsp pesto (I did equal parts basil pesto and sun-dried tomato pesto)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon

Directions:

1. Boil pasta according to package directions and let cool completely (I like to drizzle the cooked pasta with some olive oil so it doesn’t stick together).
2. Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, arugula, basil, parmesan, sun dried tomatoes, and roasted bell peppers.
4. Add in the dressing and mix well. Top with more shaved parmesan and enjoy!