Vegan Pesto Pasta Salad

This bright green pasta salad skips the cheese and gets its punch from capers, lemon and nuts instead. It holds up well, so it's an easy pick for picnics and packed lunches when market basil and cherry tomatoes are at their best.

Serves 4 · 35 minutes

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound fusilli or other twisty pasta
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup raw pistachios, slivered almonds or pine nuts
• ⅓ cup capers, rinsed
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled
• 2 packed cups basil leaves, plus more for serving
• Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 big handfuls arugula

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until tender. Drain, rinse under cold water until cool, and shake off the excess water.
2. While the pasta cooks, toss the tomatoes with a big pinch of salt in a large bowl and set aside.
3. For the pesto, pulse the nuts, capers and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add the basil and a pinch each of salt and pepper and pulse until finely chopped.
4. Add the lemon juice, then pour in the oil in a slow stream with the motor running, scraping down the sides as needed. Scrape the pesto into the bowl with the tomatoes.
5. Add the pasta and stir until coated. Let it cool for about 5 minutes, then fold in the arugula and a few torn basil leaves. Season with salt.

Tips

• The salad holds at room temperature for up to 2 hours or in the fridge for up to 2 days. Refresh it with a little salt, lemon juice and oil before serving.
• The pesto keeps for 3 days in the fridge with a thin layer of oil on top to stop it browning. It's also good spooned over grilled fish or beans.

Adapted from Ali Slagle, NYT Cooking.