Some days just call for a cold, refreshing pasta salad. Something that doesn’t require a ton of effort, but still feels like a full meal. It’s loaded with pesto, tangy artichokes, fresh tomatoes, and chewy chunks of halloumi. It comes together in under 30 minutes and gets even better the next day, so you already know this one’s a summer repeat.

Time Breakdown

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Homemade Pesto (makes ~12 oz)

Skip the store-bought stuff — homemade pesto really takes this to the next level.

• 3 tbsp pine nuts

• 6-8 cloves of garlic

• 2 cups fresh basil, packed

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup grated pecorino or parmesan

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust salt or cheese as needed.

Pasta Salad Ingredients

• 1 box (16 oz) penne pasta

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

• 1 cup marinated artichokes, sliced

• 1 cup diced halloumi cheese

• 1 1/2 cups fresh arugula

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 12 oz homemade pesto

• Optional: 1 lb shredded rotisserie chicken

How to Make the Pasta Salad

1. 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne until just al dente — you want it to hold up in the salad without turning mushy.

2. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside to cool completely.

3. In a food processor, blend together the basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, parmesan (or pecorino), salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
   Taste and adjust the salt or cheese depending on how sharp you like it.

4. Halve the cherry tomatoes (pro tip: sandwich them between two deli lids and slice across with a sharp knife to save time).

5. Dice the halloumi into small bite-sized cubes.

6. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes into small pieces.

7. In a large mixing bowl, combine: the cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, halloumi cheese, arugula.

8. Add the pesto and red wine vinegar. Toss until everything is evenly coated.

9. Season with black pepper and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust vinegar or pesto as needed.

10. If you want to turn this side into a meal, add in one whole shredded rotisserie chicken for protein.

11. Serve immediately or chill for 1–2 hours to let the flavors deepen.

Make this once and you’ll be craving it all summer.

Let me know if you try it!🍃🍝