Name: Pesto Pasta Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 pound pasta (I prefer short pasta like small/medium shells); 1 pound frozen peas; 6 ounce container basil pesto; parmesan cheese (salt and pepper, to taste)

One-Pot Pasta with Pesto and Peas

5 from 11 votes

Modified: Sep 25, 2025 · Published: Apr 11, 2016 by Allison Mattina · 38 Comments

Pesto Pasta Salad – A fast and easy one-pot dinner of pasta with store bought basil pesto and peas. Serve warm or cold. Ready in 30 minutes!

Bowl of pasta shells with pesto and peas.

This here is a fast and easy meal made in one pot, in under 30 minutes, using only 4 ingredients. This is an ideal meal for nights when you want something hearty and comforting with minimal dishes and no prep!

Saucepan of pasta shells with pesto and peas.

Only 4 ingredients

Pasta
Frozen peas
Pesto
Pasta

How to make pesto pasta

Cook pasta in boiling water. During the last 5 minutes of cooking time, add a bag of frozen peas to the cooking water.

Drain the pasta and peas.

Return pasta and peas to the pot and stir in pesto and parmesan cheese.

Bowl of pasta shells with sausage, pesto and peas.

Another fantastic thing about this recipe is how adaptable it is. You can make it with just the 4 basic ingredients, or you can add other veggies or meat. I occasionally add asparagus, broccoli, or cherry tomatoes. I also serve it topped with sliced sausage or rotisserie chicken. You can serve this dish hot or cold. Leftovers make for a great chilled pasta salad.

Try our Pesto Mac and Cheese, too!

Recipe

Pesto Pasta Salad

A fast and easy one-pot dinner of pasta with store bought basil pesto and peas. Serve warm or cold. Ready in 30 minutes!

5 from 11 votes

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Course: main, Main dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Servings: 6

Calories: 451kcal

Author: Allison Mattina

Ingredients

▢ 1 pound pasta, I prefer short pasta like small/medium shells
▢ 1 pound frozen peas
▢ 6 ounce container basil pesto
▢ parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil Add salt and the pasta. Boil accordingly to pasta package instructions. During the last 4-5 minutes of cooking time add the peas.
Drain and return to the pot. Stir in pesto. Add parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste.

Notes

-This pasta can be served warm or chiilled. If serving chilled, I like to add raw cherry tomatoes.
– You can also add asparagus or frozen chopped broccoli to this dish. I usually add them to the boiling pasta water during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
– If desired, the pasta can be topped with cooked sausage or rotisserie chicken.