Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad with Bacon

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta Salad with Bacon

This pesto rosso pasta salad combines a concentrated sun-dried tomato pesto with al dente penne, peas, tomatoes, spinach, crisp bacon, and raw zucchini ribbons. It is designed to be served cool or at room temperature, so it is as useful for packed lunches and picnics as it is for a quick summer dinner.

The pesto does most of the work: sun-dried tomatoes bring savoury depth, Parmesan adds saltiness, and basil keeps the flavour bright. Folding it through warm pasta helps the sauce cling before the fresh vegetables go in.

How to Keep Pasta Salad Fresh, Not Dry

Drain the pasta thoroughly but do not rinse it. Tossing the warm pasta with pesto lets it absorb flavour, while a spoonful of reserved pasta water restores a silky coating if the sauce seems tight. Add the spinach and tomatoes only after the pasta has cooled slightly so the leaves stay fresh and the tomatoes do not collapse.

The zucchini is intentionally left raw. Its ribbons add a crisp contrast to the rich pesto and bacon, but they soften quickly once dressed. Toss them with the final olive oil and add them at the table rather than mixing them in early.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make the pasta salad up to one day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Pack the zucchini ribbons and a little bacon separately, then add both before serving. If the chilled salad looks dry, loosen it with a small drizzle of olive oil and toss gently.

This recipe is not a good candidate for freezing: the greens, tomatoes, and pasta lose their texture after thawing.

Easy Variations

For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and finish with toasted almonds. To make it a more substantial dinner, replace the bacon with cooked chicken or firm tofu and keep the same pesto and vegetable balance.

Serving & Goal Fit

One quarter of the recipe is a satisfying lunch-sized bowl. On a training day, add a piece of fruit or an extra 50 g cooked pasta if you need more carbohydrate; on a rest day, use a slightly smaller pasta portion and bulk out the bowl with extra spinach, peas, mushrooms, or green beans.

For extra protein, replace the bacon with cooked chicken or firm tofu. Courgette, spinach, peas, mushrooms, onions, or tenderstem broccoli all work well as vegetable swaps, depending on what you have available.