Looking for a perfectly light and savory salad for your next barbecue? This light and healthy Parmesan Pesto Pasta Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Asparagus is perfect! Whether sharing it at a party or enjoying it as a fresh and cool summer lunch, this salad is filling and delicious.

I love walking around our local Farmer’s Market. Not only am I supporting local farmers, but I’m getting deliciously fresh produce and it’s all just so pretty to look at. I have to keep myself from buying more than I really need! On a recent trip I picked up some grape tomatoes and asparagus and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it!

I roasted those yummy tomatoes and asparagus in the oven with just a light drizzle of olive oil and some salt, pepper and fresh basil, as I knew they would be the perfect addition to the Parmesan Pesto Pasta Salad I’d been planning. While the veggies were roasting, I boiled some water to cook up my favorite bowtie pasta just to al dente.

Once everything was finished cooking, I let it all cool for just a bit before mixing in the Hidden Valley™ Parmesan Basil Pesto Sandwich Spread & Dip, some fresh grated Parmesan and fresh basil.

This delicious pasta salad was the perfect filling lunch and once the flavors had more time to blend it was positively irresistible!

Parmesan Pesto Pasta Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Asparagus

Kristin

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Ingredients

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1 pound asparagus
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil plus more for garnish if desired
Salt & Pepper to taste
¼ cup Hidden Valley™ Parmesan Basil Pesto Sandwich Spread & Dip
1 lb bowtie or rotini pasta
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Rinse and trim asparagus. Pat dry and cut into 2 inch pieces.
Place asparagus and tomatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
Toss with fresh basil and season with salt and pepper to taste (save the bowl to toss pasta in later). Place veggies in a single layer on foil lined cookie sheet. Roast in the oven for about ten minutes or until tomatoes start to blister and asparagus is tender.
Set aside to cool.
While veggies are roasting, place pasta in a pot of boiling water and cook to al dente.
Drain and rinse with cool water.
Toss pasta in the bowl used for the veggies.
Add Hidden Valley Basil Parmesan Pesto and stir.
Fold in the roasted tomatoes and asparagus and sprinkle with fresh shredded Parmesan Cheese. Garnish with fresh, chopped basil, if desired.