Pesto Pasta Salad

Although I am a lover of cheese, my husband doesn’t tolerate dairy well, so as I began making sauces and dressing for the farm, I wanted him to be able to enjoy them as much as I do.

My pesto is made from organically grown kale, basil and garlic combined with organic extra virgin olive oil, walnuts, organic lemon juice and sea salt. You’ll find it to be well balanced and you won’t even miss the cheese (although you are welcome to add it yourself!).

During the summer, when the fresh veggies are plentiful, is the perfect time to make pesto pasta salad.

Ryan is a huge fan of orzo pasta. He is always asking me to make orzo pasta salad for him. It’s his favorite and I don’t make it nearly as often as he would like, so today was a special day for him.

I combined the pasta with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, chickpeas and pesto for this amazing salad that he is so excited to eat.

As you can see, I made a BIG batch… yet I only managed to eat one small bowl before Ryan finished it off. :)

You’ll need about 1/2 pound of pasta for 4 oz. of pesto.

If you find the pasta absorbed a lot of the moisture, you can add a bit more olive oil.

Beyond that, add veggies until your heart is content: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, olives, beans…

Can be made ahead of time. Keeps well in the refrigerator for a couple days, if it lasts that long.