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This Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe is a tasty and versatile salad with roasted red peppers and olives, and it’s extra easy to make. And this post has options to make the Pesto Pasta Salad with several different types of pasta, depending on how much you care about the carbs.

PIN the Pesto Pasta Salad recipe to make it later!

Pesto Pasta Salad in serving bowl, low-carb version made with Palmini pasta

I originally made this Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe with whole wheat Rotini pasta, and it was delicious! But nowdays I’d prefer fewer carbs so I tested the recipe with some favorite lower-carb pastas, and now I’m updating the recipe to give three different options for this delicious vegetarian Pesto Pasta Salad!

You can make very low-carb Pesto Pasta Salad using Palmini pasta, or make this salad with Fiber Gourmet Light Pasta which is a high-fiber wheat pasta that’s lower in net carbs than regular pasta. Or just make the salad with regular Rotini pasta if you don’t care so much about carbs.

And no matter which version you prefer, if you already have some of my Basil Pesto with Lemon in the freezer, or a jar of my favorite Kirkland Basil Pesto, this might be the easiest pasta salad you’ve ever made! And except for the pasta, this Pesto Pasta Salad recipe uses mostly pantry ingredients that you might have in the house.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe:

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)

What’s the difference between the three Pasta Salad recipes?

The only difference between the ingredients for the three recipe options in this post is the type of pasta used. I considered the Fiber Gourmet Light Pasta and Whole Wheat Rotini Pasta salads to be six servings so I could compare nutritional information (and it was a challenge, but I did my best using information on the packages.) However, the salad with Palmini Pasta is calculated as four servings because that pasta comes in a package with fewer servings and and I didn’t want to create a recipe that needed two packages! You may want to add more olives and/or peppers to the Palmini Pasta version.

Are any of the Pasta Salad Recipes gluten-free?

The Palmini Pasta version is gluten-free, The versions with regular Rotini or Fiber Gourmet Light Pasta will have gluten. This recipe could also be made with gluten-free pasta, but it will be higher in carbs.

What is Palmini Pasta?

Palmini Pasta (affiliate link) is a type of low-carb pasta made from hearts of palm. The pasta variations made by Palmini include Linguini, Angel Hair (which is more like thin spaghetti), and Lasagna. The hearts of palm pasta is found in many stores now, but it’s definitely more expensive than most other types of pasta, so we use this pasta in recipes where there are a lot of other ingredients and not so much pasta to stretch out the servings. And one benefit of this pasta is that because the Palmini noodles don’t absorb the dressing, the low-carb Palmini version of this Pesto Pasta Salad stayed good in the fridge for a few days!

Does Palmini Pasta need to be precooked?

After experimenting with several recipes, Kara and I definitely prefer cooking the Palmini pasta for five minutes in boiling, salted water before using it in a recipe. We feel the pre-cooking gives the hearts of palm a more “pasta-like” texture.

What is Fiber Gourmet Light Pasta?

My favorite for a lower-carb pasta is definitely Fiber Gourmet Light Pasta (affiliate link). This product is a high-fiber pasta made in Italy and it comes in Penne, Rotini, Spaghetti, and Elbows. The Fiber Gourmet Pasta tastes completely the same as regular pasta made with wheat, but it’s higher in fiber. The only thing that’s a downside to this pasta for some people will be the price. I haven’t found it in stores, and when I order from Amazon I am careful to choose the pack with six boxes so it comes out to about $6.66 per box, pricey but worth it for me when I am craving pasta and don’t want so many carbs. Both Kara and I are loving this new pasta option, just search “Fiber Gourmet” on the website to find other recipes where we’ve used it.

Other ingredients you might use in the Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe:

  • diced marinated artichoke hearts
  • marinated mushrooms, cut in half
  • grilled vegetables of any type such as zucchini, mushrooms, onions, or summer squash
  • cubed fresh mozzarella cheese

Pesto Pasta Salad process shots collage

How to Make the Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Bring a medium-sized pan of water to a boil, adding a little salt.
  2. For Palmini Pasta, drain noodles well and cut apart with kitchen shears. (For Fiber Gourmet or whole wheat Rotini pasta, just open the box!)
  3. Cook the pasta exactly 5 minutes for Palmini Pasta, or about 9 minutes for whole wheat Rotini Pasta. (The Fiber Gourmet Light Pasta takes longer to cook; start with the time on the box, taste, and continue to cook until it’s al dente.)
  4. While pasta cooks, drain red peppers well.
  5. Drain olives and cut in half.
  6. When pasta is cooked, drain it well and let cool about 10 minutes.
  7. Combine pesto and vinaigrette to make the dressing. 
  8. After pasta cools , stir in enough dressing to coat the pasta. (You may not need all the dressing, but save it in case you want to add it later.)
  9. Combine the dressed pasta, red bell pepper, and olives. Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge 1-3 hours.
  10. To serve, mix in freshly grated Parmesan and a little more dressing if desired.
  11. Serve slightly chilled or at or room temperature.
  12. All the versions of this will stay good in the fridge for a few days if you’re lucky enough to have some left over.

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

If you make the Pesto Pasta Salad with one of the low-carb or lower-carb pasta options, this would be great for a low-carb meal with one of these main dishes:

Square image for Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe shown in serving bowl with fork.

More Lower-Carb Pasta Dishes to Try:

Pesto Pasta Salad in serving bowl, low-carb version made with Palmini pasta
Yield: 6 servings

Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes

This easy Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe has olives and roasted red peppers and uses pantry ingredients you probably keep in the house. You can make the Pesto Pasta Salad with low-carb Palmini Pasta, or use lower-carb Fiber Gourmet Light Pasta or regular Rotini wheat pasta, whichever you prefer. (Nutritional info is for Palmini Pasta, look in NOTES after the recipe to see nutritional info for other pasta types.)

Ingredients

  • one 12 oz. package Palmini Linguini (or one 8 oz. pkg. Fiber Gourmet Light Rotini or 8 oz. whole wheat Rotini pasta; see notes)
  • one 6 oz. can black olives (or more, see notes)
  • one 12 oz. jar roasted red bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup Newman’s Own Classic Oil and Vinegar Dressing (see notes)
  • 1/3 cup pesto (see notes)
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, or more
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. For either type of pasta, bring a medium-sized pan of water to a boil, adding a little salt to the water.
  2. For Palmini Pasta, drain the noodles well and cut apart with kitchen shears. (For Rotini pasta or Fiber Gourmet Light Pasta, just open the box!)
  3. Cook the pasta exactly 5 minutes for Palmini Pasta, or about 9 minutes for regular Rotini Pasta. (Check the package for cooking time.) Fiber Gourmet Pasta will take longer to cook, start with the time on the package and keep cooking until al dente.
  4. While pasta cooks, drain the jar of roasted red peppers well. (I found peppers already sliced in strips, but slice or chop if needed.)
  5. Drain a can of black olives and cut in half.
  6. When pasta is cooked the correct amount of time for the pasta you're using, drain pasta well and let cool about 10 minutes.
  7. Combine Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing (affiliate link), with my Basil Pesto with Lemon or whatever pesto you're using.
  8. After the pasta cools for 10 minutes, stir in enough dressing to coat the slightly-warm pasta. (You may not need all the dressing, but save the rest in case you want to add it later.)
  9. Combine the pasta with dressing, diced red bell pepper, and olives. Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge 1-3 hours.
  10. To serve, mix in 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or more!) and a little more dressing if the salad seems dry.
  11. Serve slightly chilled or at or room temperature.

Notes

I used Newman's Own Classic Oil and Vinegar Dressing (affiliate link) but any low-sugar vinaigrette will work. If you prefer a different commercial dressing, be sure it has less than 2-3 grams of sugar per serving. I used my Basil Pesto with Lemon for this salad, but you can use purchased basil pesto as well.

The usual nutritional information provided is for 6 servings of salad made with Palmini Pasta; I don't like to use two cans of the expensive hearts of palm pasta but to get six servings you might want to add another can of olives or other low-carb ingredients for the Palmini Pasta version to make larger servings.

MORE PASTA OPTIONS FOR THIS SALAD:

You can also make six servings of this salad with an 8 oz. package of Fiber Gourmet Light Rotini, which will be a bit higher in carbs than the Palmini Pasta option or make six servings with 8 oz. regular Rotini pasta, which will be the highest carb option.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION FOR FIBER GOURMET LIGHT ROTINI VERSION (6 servings):

Calories: 270, Total Fat 17, Saturated Fat 2.7, Unsaturated Fat 13.1, Sodium 533, Carbs 36.2, Fiber 17.9, (18.3 net carbs), Sugar 4.3, Protein 8

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION FOR REGULAR ROTINI PASTA VERSION (6 servings):

Calories 330, Total Fat 17, Saturated Fat 3.1, Unsaturated Fat 13.2, Cholesterol 6.9, Sodium 467, Carbs 28, Fiber 3.2, (24.8 net carbs) Sugars 4.5, Protein 8.

Recipe created by Kalyn.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 207Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 3.1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 13.1gCholesterol 3.6mgSodium 497mgCarbohydrates 10.9gFiber 3.2gSugar 4.3gProtein 18g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

© Kalyn Denny
Category: Salads
Pesto Pasta Salad square thumbnail image of finished salad in serving bowl

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This easy Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe can be low-carb or Keto with Palmini Pasta; see nutritional information in the recipe for that option. Look in NOTES after the recipe for nutritional info for the Fiber Gourmet Light Pasta or whole wheat rotini. (If you’re making this for the original South Beach Diet, Pesto is high in fat and the salad dressing, Parmesan Cheese, and olives all have some fat, so this would be a personal choice for South Beach for the Palmini Pasta version for all phases and the Rotini pasta version or Fiber Gourmet Pasta version would only work for Phase 2 or 3.)

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Pasta Recipes or Salad Recipes to find more salads like this one.Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for a tasty vegetarian Pesto Pasta Salad was first posted in 2010 made with regular Rotini Pasta. After I started eating fewer carbs, I updated the post to include a version made with Palmini Pasta or Fiber Gourmet Light Pasta. It was last updated with more information in 2025.

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