Pasta salad with edible flowers & herb pesto!
This green pasta salad is not only healthy, fresh and tasty, but the addition of edible flowers makes it very beautiful too! A lovely springtime recipe that you can serve for a light lunch or as a side dish. Perfect for Mother’s Day or other special occasions too!
Pasta fredda in verde con fiori edibili.
Italians call pasta salad either ‘insalata di pasta’ or ‘pasta fredda’, meaning cold pasta. There are, of course, hundreds of recipes for pasta salad here in Italy. Many of these are vegetarian and a lot have cheese in them. Some contain seafood, but few are made with meat. I guess this is because cold pasta is eaten mostly in spring and summer, when there is an abundance of fresh seasonal veggie ingredients. Plus, temperatures are higher, so lighter meals are more popular.
The choice of ingredients for a pasta salad is pretty vast and for many people the combination used is often down to personal taste. There are a few traditional recipes such as ‘crudaiola Barese’, a simple but delicious dish from Bari in Puglia. However, on the whole pasta salad is a contemporary way to prepare pasta. Hence the wide choice of modern recipes and the scarcity of traditional ones.
The ingredients in this pasta salad.
This green pasta salad is, needless to say, made with mostly green ingredients. So, not a tomato in sight! The basis of the sauce is a parsley, mint, baby spinach, pine nut and marjoram pesto, to which blanched spring onions are added. I loved this idea. Pesto often contains raw garlic which gives it a very strong taste. Using blanched spring onions adds an oniony flavour that isn’t overpowering and much more subtle.
Rather than the grated cheese used with so many pasta recipes, this green pasta salad recipe calls for Parmigiano flakes which are a favourite salad ingredient for me, as are the toasted pine nuts. However, for a vegan/vegetarian version just leave out the cheese flakes or use a vegan/vegetarian cheese. I added edible flowers to the bowl because they look so pretty and add a wow factor that’s bound to impress your guests, but of course you can make it without the flowers.
The pasta.
Italians have an unspoken rule that pasta salad needs to be made with short pasta. I guess that makes sense because cold spaghetti just doesn’t cut it! You can use any short tube pasta such as penne or rigatoni but my favourite is fusilli. The fusilli I used actually comes from Pisa in Tuscany. It was made by an artisan pasta maker called pastificio Martelli. This family-run company produces excellent handmade, bronze drawn pasta.
This fusilli di Pisa is smaller but more elongated and narrower than normal fusilli. Each piece of pasta has 7 spirals, like the Tower of Pisa. In fact, this pasta is said to have been inspired by the story of a pasta maker from Pisa in 1284, who created pasta in the image of the city’s famous landmark.
This fusilli worked so well with this recipe as the green sauce really got into the pasta spirals, making each mouthful super delicious! So, fusilli would definitely be my number one choice for this green pasta salad recipe.
Tips for making a great pasta salad.
To prevent your pasta from sticking together after cooking, it’s best to rinse the pasta with cold water after draining it and then put it into a bowl and add a little olive oil to it. Mix the oil and pasta so the pasta pieces are slightly coated in oil. The other ingredients should really be prepared beforehand so that you can add them to the pasta immediately.
Italians prefer pasta salad to be tepid or at room temperature rather than out of the fridge. However, you can make it in advance. I made this green pasta salad a few hours before serving and kept it in the fridge covered in plastic wrap. However, if you do that. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before so that it can be served more or less at room temperature.
Cold pasta is such a great versatile dish. You can eat it as a one course meal, offer it as side dish at a barbeque or take it on picnics. I made this salad for lunch last Sunday. My family and guests loved it. I’m sure yours will too.
If you do try this green pasta salad with edible flowers recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.
Your feedback means a lot to me!
Buon appetito!
(This recipe was originally published in 2018, but has been updated)
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Green pasta salad with edible flowers
Ingredients
- 360 g fusilli pasta (12-13oz) or other short pasta
- 100 g baby spinach leaves (3.5oz)
- 2-3 spring onions
- 1 handful fresh parsley
- 1-2 sprigs fresh mint
- 1 sprig fresh marjoram
- 50 g pine nuts (2oz) toasted
- 50 g Parmigiano cheese flakes (leave out for vegan version. Strict vegetarians should use a vegetarian cheese)
- extra virgin olive oil as required
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- edible flowers as required
Instructions
Prepare the pasta and spring onions
- Clean the spring onion and remove 2/3 of the green part. Bring plenty of water to a boil in a pot, add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. 5 minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the spring onion to the pot.
- Save a little of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta and spring onion. Cool them under cold running water. Put the pasta into a bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well
Make the sauce
- While you are waiting for the pasta water to boil and the pasta to cook, wash and dry the parsley, marjoram and mint. Wash and dry the spinach leaves. Toast the pine nuts in a non-stick frying pan, for 1-2 minutes.
- Put the herbs and half the spinach leaves into a blender with some olive oil and pulse a few times. Add the blanched spring onion and a little more oil and pulse again. Add half the toasted pine nuts and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse again. If the sauce seems dry add some more olive oil or a dash of the pasta cooking water.
Make the salad
- Add the sauce to the pasta and mix. Add the remaining pine nuts to the pasta with the remaining spinach leaves and the thinly sliced Parmesan cheese flakes.Mix the cold pasta and sauce with the pine nuts, spinach and cheese and serve decorated with edible flowers if you have them..
Notes
Other spring pasta recipes on The Pasta Project!
- Fusilli with asparagus, recipe from Northern Italy.
- Poached salmon and asparagus lasagna
- Tagliatelle with peas and pancetta, recipe from Verona.
- Gargati pasta with spring ragu
- Sicilian pasta with sardines and wild fennel.
If you are interested in learning how to make homemade pasta and different types of gnocchi, check out my shop page for some great video online courses from my friends in Rome! Nothing beats learning to make pasta from Italians! Plus while you’re there why not order a copy of my autumn/winter pasta recipes cookbook!?
This dish looks so great. How can you go wrong with such an amazing pasta salad in only 20 minutes. I rarely use edible flowers, but I’ll have to try it. The presentation is beautiful as well!
I think edible flowers can transform any dish. What a beautiful summer pasta salad…this would brighten up any table. Looks so good and pretty!
Love that you added edible flowers to this pasta salad! It makes it look so Summery and festive! Perfect for a cookout party!
I love adding edible flowers to dishes because they add so much flavour and color. I can’t wait to make this pasta. I know it will be delicious
I made your pesto and turned to be delicious. I didn’t have edible flowers but I’m planning to buy some for my Mother’s Day brunch! Thanks for sharing J.
This sounds delicious!! I’ve printed the recipe! What a great idea to combine veggies and edible flowers. I have to make it this weekend!
Such a pretty salad and unique way to use pasta. I love that Italians enjoy salads like these at room temperature – it’s the best!
looks so pretty. Never thought of edible flowers in a pasta salad. I will try it soon.
Okay don’t laugh but I had no idea Italians ate cold pasta salad! I love that the dressing contains everything green, particularly the blanched onion. Great idea as the garlic would be too powerful. I can’t wait to try this salad out. Bring on summer!
Wow, this pasta is so beautiful!! I have always wanted to make food with edible flowers and you have inspired me to try it! Thanks so much for the recipe!
This looks amazing! Gets me in the mood for those spring and summer months!
Never seen any pasta with edible flowers. This is fantastic. Love all the flavors 🙂
Thank you so much Geetanjali! This pasta salad is delicious and the flowers make it look so pretty!
I adore adding edible flowers to my dishes in the spring and summer! Company is always surprised and make a funny face, but everyone who ties them, likes them! This version with pesto looks awesome!
Look at these beautiful colors in this dish and the edible flours makes it unique.
This looks like heaven in a bowl! Your variation of pesto sounds amazing and the edible flowers make this the star of the party! Thanks for sharing!
Both pasta and salad are my two weak spots. You’ve got both in one recipe here! AND you added these flowers that look absolutely stunning!
I have no words to express my excitement – this looks more like a painting to me – fantastic pasta recipe!
What a gorgeous pasta dish! I love how pretty the edible flowers are- such a great way to elevate a dish.
An excellent pasta dish, healthy and light and also beautiful to present .. then the fusilli are perfect!
Pesto is definitely one of my top favourite pasta sauces. A very pretty and delicious salad – I really love the edible flowers – it makes this delish dish look so pretty. Lovely revipe 😉
This pasta would also make for a beautiful centerpiece for a table setting! How gorgeous does this sound, and right in time for summer too.
This has gotta be one of the most colorful and pretty pasta dishes I’ve seen – also, this is my first time feasting my eyes on “Pasta fredda in verde con fiori edibili” Thanks for sharing.
Mmmm yum I love how you flavoured that pasta with all those beautiful fresh herbs! (:
I love the idea of blanching the spring onions before putting them in a pesto to get a mellow vibe.
I also love adding flowers to recipes, I started doing it a few years ago and am amazed at the breadth of flowers that are edible. My favourite with green ‘food’ is lilac, the colour contrast is stunning and they have a great subtle taste too. Although they are a little fiddly to pick from the head 😉
This salad looks so good! I love the addition of edible flowers – so pretty! Can’t wait to try this recipe for a healthy brunch or dinner party!
Your recipes are always so tasty and beautiful, and this one doesn’t disappoint! Adding the flowers is the perfect springtime touch!
It’s almost too pretty to eat! I love that you added mint to this pasta. Mint is one of my favorite spring and summer flavors, and it goes so well with pasta. Delicious recipe!
Pesto is like a magic sauce in my home, we use it on pasta, sandwiches, burgers, and salads. This salad is absolutely beautiful, the flowers are such a lovely addition.
This green pasta salad is so pretty! This salad is sure to impress any guest.
This looks absolutely beautiful. Edible flowers make any dish look so pretty! Mmm.
Great idea to add blanched spring onions to the pesto sauce. All the ingredients sound wonderful together – the perfect Spring dish. And yesss toasted pine nuts are one of my favorite toppings for pasta!
I love a good pasta salad and the pesto on this one sound spectacular. The addition of edible flowers makes this so fun for a special spring event!
this sounds so delicious! perfect for summer time. the pesto sauce is always nice and fresh. love the edible flowers!
Perfect for a picnic or barbeque! Looks delicious and so pretty! Edible flowers are perfect for dishes like this, thank you for this appealing recipe!
Hallelujah, a salad with no tomatoes for a change. This looks amazing and I love all the greens.
I like seeing more recipes that use edible flowers. They add so much beauty to a meal. I guess the only challenge is to find different flowers every time to make each meal unique.
Love how beautiful and tempting this looks! Would love to try it at the soonest.
I’ve always wanted to try edible flowers – they make the food so pretty. This salad sounds delicious!
This is a perfect spring and summer dish! Lovely to come across this right as those are coming up
I absolutely love pasta salad in the summer time! And those flowers are gorgeous
Loving everything about this pasta. I agree, it’s the perfect side for any BBQ or celebration. I will definitely make it many times during the summer.
Pesto and edible flowers. I love how colourful and fresh this salad is. And it’s versatility. I would love to try adding some edible flowers in my dishes. Such an inspiration. WIll start looking for edible flowers at the farmer’s market now!
I agree with you, I love using the flaked parmesan cheese. It is so much more elegant and you seem to be able to taste it more.
Ohhh I got some edible flowers at the farmer’s market today! I never thought of putting them in a pasta salad!! Beautiful!
I love using edible flowers in salads – perfect summertime treat!
I also love the look of edible flowers, but I don’t know where to get them! Do you grow them, or buy them somewhere?
I love everything about this recipe, from its green sauce to the fact that you’ve got flowers in there. Don’t you just love summertime for its bounty? The pansies are so pretty!
How fun! This looks great! I love the idea of edible flowers! Pretty and delicious!
How fun! I love the idea of edible flowers! Pretty and delicious!
Pesto is probably one of my favorite sauces for pasta, or really anything (I put it in Portobello Mushroom Caps, and then back them – delicious)! I have never used edible flowers in my cooking, but have been thinking of using them. i love that you are using them in a pasta dish though, I usually only see them in desserts.