Cook pasta according to package directions and let cool.
2
Sauté mushrooms with garlic and butter until tender and set aside to cool.
3
Mix pesto with ranch dressing and combine with fresh & sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and pasta in a large bowl.
4
Chill in fridge before serving. Makes about 8 servings.
Brought to you by Hip2Save.
Hip2Save may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you via trusted partners and affiliate links in this post. Prices and availability are accurate as of time posted. Read our full disclosure policy here.
Pasta salads are a perfect side dish for summer gatherings and your family is sure to love this fresh tasting and easy to make cold and creamy pesto version. The mix of fresh & sun dried tomatoes with sautéed mushrooms adds even more delicious flavor.
Lina has a Bachelor's Degree from Northern Arizona University with 11 years of blogging and photography experience having work featured in Today.com, Martha Stewart, Country Living, Fox News, Buzzfeed, and HGTV.
You could serve it warm or hot. My husband does when I make something similar (he’s not a fan of cold pasta). I prefer pasta salads room temp – not straight out of the fridge cold, but not hot off the stove either.
LOL Happens to me all the time – thanks for the quick reply! Hubby and I both work so I need more quick, easy and relatively healthy ideas that a 5.5yo will eat (and two grown-ups who eat like kids 🙂 )
I make this ALL the time.. except I use McCormick’s creamy pesto sauce mix (that comes in the little seasoning packets that you mix up) and I put grilled or rotisserie chicken with it and eat it hot. Our entire family loves it and we are plain/picky eaters.
I just made a tortellini pasta salad… so good… the tortellini had cheese and pesto in it. Added some grilled chicken too. I forget the brand of the tortellini, but its definitely a shortcut to get that nice pesto flavor!
Don't Miss Out! Join our large community of insiders - it's totally free! Once you join, you'll be able to save & share your favorite deals, rate posts and recipes and add items to your HipList and Cookbook! What are ya waiting for?!
Mmm! This with quinoa instead of pasta!
I would love this .. but what else do u think u can use instead of ranch dressing?? Fam jst doesnt like that…..tia
Any Italian Dressing would be perfect!
A recipe a friend gave me was to toss the warm pasta with a dusting of dry Italian dressing mix, then toss with the pesto. It was really yummy!
Hmm maybe sour cream or plain yogurt – maybe add some Italian seasonings for similar idea. Thanks!
Thanks! Always looking for barbecue side dishes. You can only have potato salad but so many times.
Any reason this couldn’t be served hot, maybe with grilled chicken pieces?
You could serve it warm or hot. My husband does when I make something similar (he’s not a fan of cold pasta). I prefer pasta salads room temp – not straight out of the fridge cold, but not hot off the stove either.
That didn’t make sense LOL. Should me – My husband warms his when I make pasta salad.
We need an edit button LOL… 3rd times a charm ?!- BE, not me
LOL Happens to me all the time – thanks for the quick reply! Hubby and I both work so I need more quick, easy and relatively healthy ideas that a 5.5yo will eat (and two grown-ups who eat like kids 🙂 )
Mel, the original did make sense to me lol
Doesn’t have to be pasta salad to eat cold, you can warm or room temp it to preference.
I make this ALL the time.. except I use McCormick’s creamy pesto sauce mix (that comes in the little seasoning packets that you mix up) and I put grilled or rotisserie chicken with it and eat it hot. Our entire family loves it and we are plain/picky eaters.
Nice salade
Thx everybody for all the ideas..i will try them all & c what the family likes…
This looks so good! I love cold pasta. This will be so good to serve with Memorial Day grilled meats. Thanks Lina!
Sure – enjoy!
Macy’s has something similar to this, but instead of ranch dressing they use lemon and olive oil. It’s really good!
I just made a tortellini pasta salad… so good… the tortellini had cheese and pesto in it. Added some grilled chicken too. I forget the brand of the tortellini, but its definitely a shortcut to get that nice pesto flavor!